Vesper Potter and the Raising of thy Enemy
by blackenrose
Summary: Life as Harry Potter's sister is hard. School, hormones, magic, boys and a little brother who is destined to face You Know Who. A dangerous set of games have started at Hogwarts. Both brother and boyfriend are play main parts in it. Can Vesper keep it together?
1. Chapter 1 To The World Cup

A/n.

Disclaimer: I don't not own Harry potter and co. only Vesper Potter is mine

Set in the year 1994/95

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When Harry arrived at the Weasleys' home and he is introduced to Bill and Charlie, the two oldest Weasley brothers. Charlie works with dragons in Romania, while Bill, a one-time Head Boy at Hogwarts now works for Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Egypt, he sports a pony tail, an earring (with what looks like a fang), and Dragon-hide boots.

Fred and George were having a row with their father over them dropping a Ton-Tongue Toffee, apparently deliberately, and had caused Harry's cousin Dudley's tongue to grow several feet long. Vesper appeared at the door, choked back a laugh before it could fully form then embraced Harry tightly.

Mrs. Weasley entered behind her and joined in the argument with the twins, demanding to know if it had anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Hermione and Ginny enter the room behind Mrs. Weasley; Hermione, to avoid the family argument, suggests they show Harry where he is sleeping.

On the way to Ron's bedroom, Ron and Hermione explain to Harry about "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes", which are magical tricks and jokes the Twins have invented. What they just escaped was an ongoing battle: Mrs. Weasley wants the Twins to work for the Ministry of Magic, but they want to open their own joke shop.

Ron's room is much the same as it was two years ago, when Harry stayed, except for his new owl, given to him by Sirius Black, which is bouncing excitedly in its cage. Ginny named it Pigwidgeon, which Ron often shortens to "Pig."

When the fight between Mrs. Weasley and the Twins had apparently ended, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Vesper and Ginny return to the kitchen, where they catch a small rant about Fred and George from Mrs. Weasley while she prepares dinner. Outside, Charlie and Bill are jousting with the picnic tables and Crookshanks was chasing Gnomes. As evening fell, the Weasley's, Harry, Vesper, and Hermione enjoy a lovely dinner in the garden, with home-made strawberry cheese cake ice cream for dessert, to which Mrs Weasley informed them that Vesper had made and she seems to have a talent for making sweet things. The twins chuckled at this.

Conversation at the table ranges widely, covering the upcoming Quidditch World Cup, Bill's personal appearance, Sirius Black's whereabouts, a missing Ministry Witch named Bertha Jorkins, and a top secret event that Percy mentions in apparent hopes that someone will ask him about it, so he can enhance his own importance by refusing to tell them about it.

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It is far too early the next morning when Harry is awakened by Mrs. Weasley. He, Ron,Vesper, Ginny, Hermione, and the Twins are traveling with Mr. Weasley, while Percy, Bill, and Charlie would meet them there. Fred and George wanted to Apparate like the older boys, but they are not licensed yet, and without training, they would probably get splinched -which meant leaving parts of themselves behind- they complain that they could live without a toe until Vesper muttered in their ears that they might lose another body part that was dear to them. Ginny and Hermione complain about the early hour, but Mr. Weasley explained they have a bit of a walk ahead.

The place they were going was the Quidditch World Cup. The Weasley's had offered Vesper, Harry and Hermione tickets to go with them to see it.

The Weasley were going with the Diggory's by port key. Vesper was agitated to see one Cedric Diggory. The pair had been going out since the cold begging of spring and it was now nearly the end of the summer holidays and she hadn't seen him.

Ron and Harry fallen down the last flight of stairs in the Weasley home. Hermione had seminally pushed them to hurry them up.

"What the bloody hell took you so long?" Vesper asked the boys with her hands on her hips. Doing her "Mrs. Weasley" pose as the boys affectionately called it.

"Don't mind her" said Fred jumping up beside her

"She just wants" says George jumping up like his twin only on Vesper's other side.

"To see"

"Cedric." they both said together, before ducking out of her way and running into the yard, after their father.

Harry had wonder if they were going to walk all the to the Quidditch World Cup. Mr. Weasley started to explain, but Mrs. Weasley, who has discovered Ton-Tongue Toffees hidden in George's pockets, interrupted with wagging her finger and telling the twins off, as she confiscates all the hidden toffees in the Twins' pockets and used the "Accio" charm on them.

Mrs. Weasley, was staying behind and did not talk to the twins again, the boys shoulder their bags and stride off. Vesper hurries to catch up and waited until they are out of Mrs Weasley's sight before she pulled a small bag from her pocket.

"Toffee?" She asked innocently. The boy stop and stare at her, she raises an eyebrow. The three smile, and the boys throw their long limbs around her shoulders and laugh.

Sometime later, the Weasley family, the Potters and Hermione met up with the Diggory's at Stoatshead Hill.

Mr. Diggory mentioned that the Lovegoods have already left, and the Fawcetts were unable to get tickets.

"Ah you must be Miss Vesper Potter, Cedric has told me about you." Mr. Diggory told her happily taking her hand; "now where did that boy go?" he said turning to look around for his son. Who at that moment decided to jump down from the trees next to Vesper, she smiled happily up at him as he smiled back at her. He took her hand as there walk to the port key. They didn't need words in their relationship, they could simple tell what the other was feeling. Suddenly her hand was taken from his and a barrier of bodies, well two, popped up between Cedric and Vesper.

"We know your game, Diggory." One twin said,

"Yep, and its not going to work." said the other, blocking Vesper from Cedric, who just raised one eyebrow.

"And what would be my "game" as you say?" he asked them

"you." they said accusingly "are trying to distract one of our key Quidditch player, so you can win." they were then pushed roughly out of the way by Vesper who just rolled her eyes and took Cedric's hand again before she stuck her tongue out at them over her shoulder.

When they got to the port key, everyone took hold of an old boot. As the countdown reaches zero, Vesper felt herself being yanked rapidly through the air, landing hard on the ground, rolling into the twins and playfully pushing each other. A voice says "Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill."

The group looked around and saw that they had arrived at a deserted, misty moor, where they were met by two wizards. Mr. Weasley hands one the Portkey, which is tossed into a large box.

Cedric held a hand out to Vesper after he help up Harry, as she struggled to untangle herself from the twins.

"I don't see why I get all the grace of an unstable elephant on a skate board." she muttered as he pulled her up. He just chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him and kissed the top of her head, he smiled as she leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his chest. The twins groan loudly in the background.

The group then heads to their campsite; the Diggorys are at a different site. Vesper kisses Cedric's cheek and bids him farewell.


	2. Chapter 2 The Quidditch World Cup

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Vesper, the Twins, Percy, Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley head to the stadium. Their seats are in the highest box, which is empty except for a House-elf belonging to the Crouch family. The house-elf was called Winky and knew Dobby, she had said he is having difficulty finding paid work and that she was holding a seat for Mr. Crouch, though she is plainly afraid of heights. Hermione scowled and hissed in Harry and Ron's ears about how wizards treat their elves.

The group watched as people filled into the Top Box: the Bulgarian dignitaries, the Minister for Magic, and finally Lucius Malfoy, his wife (tall, slim, nice looking, and very pale, with blue eyes, long blonde hair, and a clear, cold voice) Narcissa, and their son Draco. Mr. Malfoy, who has recently made a large donation to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, was Cornelius Fudge's guest.

The team mascots start to perform.

The first up are the Bulgarians. Beautiful Veela, infinitely alluring women, dance on the pitch. Nearly every male is seized by a temptation to show off. Harry looked like he wanted to do a swan dive from the Top Box. Luckily, Hermione and Mr. Weasley restrain him and Ron, who presumably has been inspired to an equivalent feat. Harry glances towards his sister and found her and Ginny restraining Fred and George by pinching their ears.

The Irish Leprechauns fly in next, showering the stands with gold coins. Which was more money then any of the group had ever seen.

As the Irish and Bulgarian teams start to play the crowd roars. Ron and Harry are dressed as many others are dressed or had their faces painted in the Bulgarian colours of red and black, while others like Vesper, Hermione, Ginny and George were coloured in Irish greens and white.

The game's action was so fast that the announcer, Ludo Bagman, could barely keep up. Even Harry found it difficult to follow the action with his Omnioculars. Victor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker eventually beats the Irish to grab the Snitch, making the final score Ireland 170, Bulgaria 160. After the win, the Twins who had recently taken up betting, race to Ludo Bagman for their winnings.

Vesper had rolled her eyes at them and met up with Cedric after the game. The pair strolled slowly between the celebrations as they made there way back to the Weasley's tent, holding hand and talking about the past summer.

Once the pair arrived, Cedric kissed her, lingering on the corner of her mouth unwilling to leave her and tried to not be smear the green and white paint on her cheeks any more then it had done already.

"Good night, Sweetheart." he whispered to her, his lips hovering over her.

"Goodnight." Vesper smiled, and kisses him softly. Their interlocked hands holding on to each other as she walked back into the tent, their eyes never leaving each other.

In a daze Vesper enter the tent, with a smile on her face. She looked up at the Weasley and Harry and Hermione, all laughing and singing and dancing in celebrations, a small giggle escaped her lips as she watches them. This was her family, she could feel her heart swell with affection. She was then dragged into dancing by George, who spotted her when he was circling Ron. Vesper couldn't help but laugh as both twins sang off tune and span her, Ginny and Hermione around the room late into the night.

"Sounds like the Irish are still celebrating." George laugh as loud noise were heard outside.

However Mr Weasley reenters the tent, having slip out without the group's knowledge. He looks pale and had a grim look on his face.

"It's not the Irish, grab your things. We're leaving." He hurried around the tent then pack up belongings fast. The group rushed to do the same, before stumbling out the door.

They all gasp in surprise at the devastation being put on the camp site.

Black hooded wizards stormed the ground in droves sending out waves of terror and destructions. Behind them being held in the air upside down were muggles from the near by house of the village.

Vesper felt a tug on her hand; she turns from the destruction to find Hermione tugging her along with Harry and Ron. They struggle in the crowd that now engulfed them, swallowing them up and pushing them apart.

Vesper was pushed and shoved out of peoples way as they all rush around falling over each other, not caring, just needing to escape. She struggled to make it to the nearby woods. Luckily she managed to catch sight of Harry's messy dark hair and Hermione's long curls a crowd in front and to the right of her.

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In the woods Vesper found Harry, Ron and Hermione they had become separated from Ginny and the Twins, the four walk in the wood to find the other Weasleys on the way they find Students from Beauxbatons Academy, another Wizarding school, arguing furiously in French. Remus had tort Vesper some basic French, when he got a job on traveling to and from the coast of France.

Harry then reached for his wand, only to discover it missing, the four search for it. Vesper suddenly feels someone brush past her as Winky the House-elf darts across beside them in an odd way, looking as if something invisible is holding her back. Vesper squinted at the house elf that pause for less then a second in the air as if being held by the arm. Hermione started to complain again about House-elves' basically being slaves, but Ron claimed they insist they are happier that way.

As they run deeper into the woods, Vesper suddenly remembers a muggle musical her godfather had taken her to in the West End of London once for her birthday, something about going into the wood and being careful what you wish for. She ignored that random bit of trivia her mind supplied, but found herself humming one of the songs she remembered.

They pass Goblins counting gold coins, Veelas surrounded by young men attempting to attract their attention- Ron had to be pulled away.

When the four think the riot may be over, they hear behind them, a deep voice boom out, "Morsmordre!".

In the dark sky above them a large green skull with a snake protruding from its mouth appeared as screams erupt. Hermione and Vesper recognises it as Voldemort's Dark Mark and the pair immediately want to leave, but suddenly around twenty Ministry wizards suddenly Apparate around them. The four hit the ground as Stunning spells criss-cross overhead. Mr. Weasley calls a halt, and the Stunners stop. Vesper has never been so pleased to see Mr. Weasley in her life. demands to know who conjured the Dark Mark. Hermione pointed to where the shout was heard. A few Wizards investigate and return carrying an unconscious Winky,which shocked Crouch. Someone noted that Winky has a wand. Crouch, who had been searching in the area where Winky was found, returns empty-handed; wanting to interrogate the house elf, he revives her. Winky denied conjuring the mark, she does not know how. When Harry recognised his wand, Crouch accused him of conjuring the Dark Mark. Vesper opened her mouth to remind them that Harry is underage but Mr. Weasley get there first and reminded him who he is speaking to. He then accuses Winky, but Hermione says it was a much deeper and definitely human voice. Vesper, Ron and Harry nod in agreement. Using the Prior Incantato spell, it is determined that Harry's wand conjured the Dark Mark.

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Mr. Weasley and the Teens head back to their tent where Fred, George, and Ginny have safely returned. George hugs Vesper tightly, muttering that she smells like bonfire smoke and the woods, she snorted and pushed him away gently. Everyone tried get some sleep before catching an early-morning Portkey back to the Burrow. Ginny, Vesper and the Twins all push their beds together and sleep cuddled together in a pile. Harry was reminded of a pack of puppies he had seen on the T.V.

It was a long while before Harry dozes off. Voldemort's mark reappearing after thirteen years is nearly as terrifying as the Dark Lord himself appearing. Harry had learned that it was usually left floating over a house where Death Eaters had killed all within. Three days ago Harry's scar was hurting, and tonight, the Dark Mark.

'Is there a connection to all these events?' He wondered. The rioters were likely Death Eaters who eluded capture, and they probably Disapparated when the Mark appeared because they had avoided Azkaban by disavowing any connection to Voldemort. If he is still around, they would be in the Dark Lord's bad graces for having denied him and wanted to make amends.

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The Twins, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Percy, Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley catch an early Portkey back home. At the The Burrow, Mrs. Weasley is overjoyed they are safe after reading about the riot in the Daily Prophet, and is relieved that her cross parting words to Twins were not the last thing she ever said to them

The Daily Prophet's main story is slanted to put the Ministry in the worst possible light; Percy says the reporter, Rita Skeeter, has it in for the Ministry. And while Mr. Weasley has been quoted more or less accurately, his words were deliberately skewed. He feels it is his responsibility to help patch things up. Percy offers to go to the Ministry with him, claiming Mr. Crouch will need him. Harry, meanwhile, tells Ron and Hermione and Vesper about his scar hurting three days ago and his dream. He says that he is expecting a response from Sirius about what he should do.

Over the next two weeks, Percy and Mr. Weasley deal with riot fallout. Percy laments the many Howlers that have scorched his desk. All demand compensation for losses at Quidditch World Cup. One Mundungus Fletcher demands compensation for a twelve-bedroom tent, even though he was actually sleeping under a cloak.

While Vesper read a book in a language the Hermione doesn't understand and with the frown on her face she doesn't believe that Vesper knows what it says either. Fred and George hunched over a piece of parchment until Mrs. Weasley demanded to know if they are working on Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, however Fred skilfully dodges the question. The twins were in fact writing a strongly worded letter to Ludo Bagman about their winnings being leprechaun gold and had disappeared. Vesper would read it before the boys sent it.

Once the teenagers were sent off to pack for Hogwarts they find parcels, among them, Ron finds an ancient dress robe, edged with lace. Mrs. Weasley says it is for formal school occasions. She also says she bought one for Harry; Harry is greatly relieved to find that his robe is new and quite nice.

Vesper smirks at the boys, carefully wrapping a delicate package of her own in brown paper, a slither of two toned blue silk visible were the paper meets. She hums a muggle song she had heard when shopping in muggle Manchester. "All the people, So many people, They all go hand in hand..."

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The next morning, the teens dress in Muggle clothing to avoid attracting attention at the train station. As the are about to leave Mr. Weasley gets an urgent message from Amos Diggory at the Ministry. Diggory's head is floating in the fireplace, as he and Mr. Weasley discuss someone named "Mad-Eye" who thought he heard intruders creeping around his house.

Mad Eye had booby-trapped his garbage bins to attack trespassers. Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George recognised Mad Eye's name, as does Vesper, who tells Harry that Mad-Eye Moody was a well-known Auror but is now retired. He still has many enemies, mostly families of those he put into Azkaban; he has apparently become paranoid in his old age. Although Vesper whispers that Mad Eye always seemed a be paranoid to her, when she had met him years previously.

Mrs. Weasley has arranged for three Muggle taxis to take them to London. Bill and Charlie are also going with them. They arrived at King's Cross Station and head to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, and as everyone says goodbye, Bill and Charlie hint that something interesting will be happening at Hogwarts this year, but Ron, Harry, Fred, and George are unable to get any additional information from them or Mrs. Weasley, who apparently knows the secret. The twins turn on Vesper but she lets out a chuckle and disappears onto the train as if she was dancing to a jig only she can hear, the boys scramble after her. On board she passes Draco Malfoy who before entering his compartment raised an curious eyebrow at her as she flashes him a smile and continued down the carriage with a bounce in her step. He watched her disappear from view and shakes his head. "women" he mutters as if they are curious and strange thing.


	3. Chapter 3- Any Partner Will Do

Enjoy

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As the train departs London, the golden trio find a empty compartment next to Draco Malfoy's and over hears him saying that he almost went to Durmstrang, another Wizarding school. No one knows Durmstrang's location, as both it and another school, Beauxbatons Academy, conceal themselves, much as Hogwarts does. This surprises Ron, who was unaware that Hogwarts is hidden. Hermione explains various ways it can be done and says it is impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within it.

On the train, the Trio greet old friends like Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom, and the conversation quickly turned to the Quidditch World Cup until Draco Malfoy entered the compartment. After Spotting Ron's embarrassing dress robes, Draco mocks him, then asked if he is entering the competition. Ron has no idea what Draco is talking about.

Clueless. Draco thinks.

He sneered and left walking down the corridor muttering about the bewildered trio. He came upon one of the larger carriages that held no compartment only chairs and tables scattered around. What he saw, however, made him stop and watch, as the older Potter-Vesper- seemed to be trying to teach or rather coerced people into learning a formal dance of a ball. Maybe the perplexed nosey trios relatives would been less clueless.

Vesper pouted as Lee Jorden refused to take her up on a spin around the floor, before she caught a younger Slytherin's eye, he was tall, had silver eyes, with white blonde hair and was pale.

Mr. Draco Malfoy.

If there was one thing that the twins both hated and loved about Vesper Potter it was the fact she couldn't hold onto hatred or anger for long. She could be fighting with someone on the quidditch pitch one day and sipping tea with them the next day, without any bitterness on her part.

She placed her hands on her waist before cocking a hip and an eyebrow, tilting her head in silent question. Malfoy tilted his head towards her in reply.

" Can you dance?" She smirked stepping towards him. He sauntered towards her confidence oozing from every muscle, before bowing to her curtsy. He admitted silently to himself that the red headed females aren't to bad...so long as you do not cross them.

" Malfoy's are taught to dance from birth." With that they grasp hands and he placed his other hand on her back and her on his shoulder and the rest of the train fell away as they span around the carriage.

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The returning students are greeted at the Entrance Hall with water balloons courtesy of Peeves, until he is sent away by Professor McGonagall. As they enter the Great Hall, Vesper asks George what's bothering him as he has been unnaturally quiet on the carriage ride to the castle. He huffed and turned away from her, hurt and shocked at his action she turned to Fred who looks a little too serious for her liking.

" you danced with a Slytherin, Ves. worst one of the lot." Vesper frowned,that was it? She blinked slowly as they took their seats.

" I needed to practice and no one else volunteered," she eyes Lee Jorden at the other side of the twins and noticed a darkening of his cheeks. " besides, he's just a boy and you two know I need my men." She paused, closing her eyes in instant regret as she realised that the twins would twist that sentence to tease her. She was right, both twins turned with raised eyebrows and identical filthy smirks.

" Need your men." The pair echoed. Vesper blew air out of her nose and rolled her eyes.

" I mean you're my best guys, remember. I love you more then any Slytherin." She reached across Fred and put a hand on George's arm as well as Fred's shoulder.

" and Ravenclaw?" They echoed again.

"And Ravenclaw." She confirmed

"And Hufflepuff?"

"And Huffle-." She had shut her mouth suddenly, having remembered that Cedric was in Hufflepuff. " about level with the Hufflepuff." The twins huffed.

"Level! With Hufflepuff. you hear that Georgie?" Fred exclaimed

" oh I heard, Freddie." The pair were doing a good job of looking offended, but George had covered her hand with his free one and Fred's eyes twinkled and his lip twitched.

"Guys, you're my best guys," she whined but knew all was forgiven.

Nearly Headless Nick informs the Gryffindor's that Peeves, upset he was not invited to the feast, was wreaking havoc in the kitchens, disrupting the House-elves. Hermione, distraught that over one hundred Hogwarts House-elves provide for the residents' needs, refuses to eat, claiming slave labour produced the feast. The others just shrugged and piled their plates.


	4. Chapter 4- New

A/n I'm sorry, I've had some trouble with the Internet and haven't been able to update anything. Enjoy.

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After the feast, Professor Dumbledore has several announcements. First, the inter-house Quidditch championship is canceled. Before anyone could react Dumbledore was interrupted by the arrival of a man with a prosthetic leg, a magical false eye, and a badly damaged face. Professor Dumbledore introduced him as Professor Moody, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry guesses this may be the same "Mad-Eye" Moody that Mr. Weasley bailed out that morning.

The Great Hall's ceiling suddenly stormed at the new comers arrival. Violent darkening clouds and angry rain before Moody corrects it with a flick of his wand. Vesper remembered reading that the ceiling enchantments only react like that to untrustworthy people. She looks at the man carefully, she had only met him once, years ago so she couldn't really tell if anything was abnormal, however Dumbledore greeted him warmly.

Harry would have asked his sister if this was "Mad Eye"but she was at the other end of the table from him. Harry and Ron noticed that the new professor only drinks from a hip flask. Dumbledore then announces that Hogwarts is hosting the inter-school Triwizard Tournament. A one thousand Galleon prize will be awarded to the winner. Dumbledore warned that only students 17 years and older can enter causes Fred and George to protest loudly; they do not turn 17 until April (exactly one week before Vesper )and want to enter, Vesper however showed no inclination of entering the competition. Dumbledore goes on to say that representatives from the competing Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools are arriving shortly and will stay at Hogwarts during the Tournament.

Before long the school all headed to their dormitory, Fred and George were already plotting ways to bypass the age rule and enter the competition, assuming the judges will fail to notice an ageing potion and they know just the person to create such a potion.

-LB-

The six years were the first to have Defence against the dark art with Mad Eye Moody. He was extraordinary. They learned how to cast a non verbal spells,(Something that the twins were positive Vesper had leaned before hand.) and the Unforgivable curse and how to resist them, along with dementors and Inferius.

Vesper met up with Cedric on the breaks between classes and homework and exercise. She noticed that she was becoming restless. Normally Quidditch training took out all that energy but she knew there had been more restless behaviour between Quidditch players.

"What would you do if I entered the tournament, Ves?" asked Cedric on one, while Vesper sat between his legs on the grass in one of the courtyards. Both of his hands were intertwined with hers, and he had crossed his arms around her, creating a barrier around her. She looked up at him, after a minute of studying his face.

"Truthfully, I would be worried and scared, and I would probably cry, because I would be afraid, that you would get hurt or worst." She snuggled closer o him, her head now under his chin, her small hands grasping onto his school jumper. His arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Don't be afraid." He muttered to her, as she lifted her head to look him in the eye, he could already see the worry already set in them.

"People die in this tournament, Ced. I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't love, I'll never leave you." Cedric smiled and kissed her gently before she put her head back under his chin, he hummed a tune to her as his arms held her tightly.

That night Vesper sends a letter to her godfather and reads another letter that the twins plan to seen to Lugo Bagman about his debt. She then spent over an hour just staring out into the night as if looking for something.


	5. Chapter 5- Arrivals

A/N enjoy.

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The Castle is cleaned the next week, and on the day the visitors are to arrive, the Great Hall is decorated with silk banners representing the four Houses. The teachers were tense thinking that some Hogwarts students are not quite up to standard.

At breakfast, Ron and Harry interrupt the Twins and Vesper, who are discussing someone who has not answered the twins letters. Hermione mentions that the champions will be judged on how well they perform the set tasks and that the three School Heads, among others, will be the judges. She then notes indignantly that Hogwarts A History, fails to mention that the school enslaves over a hundred House-elves. Hermione was badgering Ron and Harry to recruit more people for S.P.E.W.

The arriving post owls, included Hedwig bearing Sirius' reply to Harry. Sirius writes that he is back in the country and well hidden. He sees through Harry's recent claim that everything is fine now and advises Harry to use different owls for future messages. Vesper suggested that Harry could use her owl "Romulus" but Harry had never seen or heard of the owl before. Harry frowned at her when she added that "Romulus went off a while ago appalled at the state of Hogwarts living quarters and refuses to come back...he's a very proud bird."

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The other schools' arrived on Sunday October 30th. The students are assembled outside the Entrance Hall around dusk, and watched as the Beauxbatons arrives in a giant flying carriage pulled by enormous winged horses. Emerging from the carriage, the headmistress, Madam Maxime, towered over everyone, including Hagrid. Professor Dumbledore greets her, and assures her Hagrid is quite capable of tending to the horses, although Madame Maxime expresses some concern. These are magnificent beasts used to high class living and only the best can do.

Durmstrang arrived shortly afterwards in an apparently derelict sailing ship, surfacing from beneath the lake. Vesper immediately started to think of stories about Pirate ships she had read when she was younger.

The Headmaster Igor Karkaroff warmly greets Dumbledore, then asks to proceed immediately into the castle, saying Viktor has a slight cold. Ron recognises "Viktor" as the Bulgarian Quidditch Seeker, Victor Krum.

Ron began being a huge fangirl , listing every move that Krum had used in the latest quidditch match.

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After dinner that night, Professor Dumbledore explained the Triwizard Tournament rules, then introduces Bagman and Crouch as two of the judges. Filch brings in an ornate wooden chest containing the Goblet of Fire, a large, roughly-hewn wooden cup, which is full to the brim with dancing, blue-white flames.

Anyone who wished to enter the competition could submit their name to the Goblet within twenty-four hours. At the Hallowe'en Feast, the three champions would be selected. An Age Line surrounding the Goblet will prevent anyone under 17-years-old from entering.

As he is leaving, Professor Karkaroff spots the Potters,( but mainly Harry), and stares in amazement. Professor Moody advanced on Karkaroff from behind, and told him he was blocking the doorway. Karkaroff, shocked and apparently frightened at seeing Moody, quickly leaves.

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The next morning, the Durmstrang students have already entered their names into the Goblet, but no one from Hogwarts has yet.

The great hall was crowded with people watching others put their name in the tri-wizard cup, when Fred and George Weasley jogged in, holding a small vile each of a funny coloured liquid.

"Age poison, Cooked it up this morning." Fred smirked at Hermione as George looked gleefully at the cup. "Well, Ves' cooked it up. She's the best." He said as Vesper sat next to Hermione, her sleeves rolled up, her tie lose, top button of her white shirt undone, her eyes gleamed with mischief.

Fred and George leaped up towards the cup, bottles of potions raised to their lips.

"You do know it won't work!" Hermione hold Vesper harshly.

"Oh, I know" she smiled seemingly unaffected by Hermione's hard tone, but to someone watching closely they could see her clenching her jaw in annoyance.

Fred and George, now in the ring, smiled and clapped happily. However there were suddenly thrown out away from cup, their features old and gray.

Vesper laughed along with the others, as the brothers fought, until the twins suddenly stopped and turn towards her. Vesper immediately stopped laughing, she took one look at the boys and then ran out the doors before the twins could catch her, they yelled and ran after her. Years of rough housing with them and playing quidditch gave her speed and the stamina to out run them but the twins had longer legs making them on even ground.

As the trio left Cedric and his friends entered the hall laughing and pushing each other around, before there pushed Cedric towards the cup, and he throw in his name, with shouts of " come on, Ced" and " you can do it!" he walked away laughing with them, unaware he had just made the biggish decision his life.

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Harry found himself watching his sister that afternoon in the Great Hall, was she really the double of their mother, as he was their father? He was thinking about their family a lot lately. Sirius had come back to England, putting himself in danger to help Harry, and Harry knew Vesper had a protective streak as much as he had and a knack for trouble, but whereas Harry didn't go looking for trouble, Vesper found it and would poke it with a stick but was smart enough to slip away most of the time. From what Vesper and Remus had told him, Harry though Vesper had taken after their father far more then he did but had their mothers brain. However where Vesper got the Brains and mentality along with shared gut instinct of magic, Harry had dumb luck by the bucket loads and was gifted in ways she wasn't.

She was currently reading a potions book in one hand and occasionally scribbled furiously on a piece of parchment. Harry would see her lips move and would hear drifting words about "so many people, and they all go hand in hand..." Before the twins slid in beside her, Fred had complained loudly about forgetting his potions homework. Harry knew it was Fred only because George often put his arm around Vesper's shoulder or tugged her hair when they see each other. Harry was then drawn out from there conversation mainly because he spotted Cho Chan sat at Ravenclaw table between Fred and Vesper's shoulders and the trio had noticed his gawking over at the Ravenclaw and playfully tease him, in a similar way he had seen them tease Ginny about her boyfriends.

The hall filled with students as dinner time approach with speed, the twins and a reluctant Vesper put away their books as a certain Hufflepuff joined them.

"Your fan clubs glaring again," Vesper said helping herself to some Yorkshire Puddings, noting the frustrating looks from the Ravenclaw girls, who had been trying all week to get Cedric's attention.

"Hmm, they're just jealous," Cedric muttered into her neck, placing a kiss there and pulling her back towards him as she sat beside him in on the Gryffindor table, were Cedric was always welcome,when it wasn't Quidditch season.

Vesper giggled as Cedric's lips danced across the back and sides of her neck.

"Come on guys, we're eating" Fred chuckled before making a face at the pair. Vesper scowled at him,

"Don't like, don't look." She giggled

"Can't help it, with all that noise you make" George chuckled as she stuck her tongue out at him and relaxed back into Cedric's arms, before concentrating on the group of Yorkshire's and getting two to lift from the plate and smack the twins in the face, with careful movements of her hand. Unaware they were being watched. How many 16 year olds could consciously perform wandless and nonverbal Magic, with seeming ease?


	6. Chapter 6- New Friendship

A/N Enjoy.

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After a hard day involving repeated resistance to the Imperius Curse with a surprising results in DADA. Vesper was exhausted but couldn't sleep. Moody had performed the imperius curse several times on Vesper as she struggled to shake it off, eventually repeating the order back at him mentally only to see him shift as if to do as she asked. Both were shocked and moved on but he asked her to stay behind.

She remembered feeling the curse take effect on her filling her with such joy then a voice telling her to run around the room. "Why?" Became "no" the more it processed, eventually she pushed back " you run." She saw moody shift on his feet then suddenly cut the connection. Afterwards when the others had left Moody asked her how she turned the Imperius Curse back on him while under his control. She suddenly got a bad feeling in her stomach, but brushes it off. " once a door opens it can be entered both ways" once you shake off the initial curse you can push past it. She left him with the look of surprise on his face and something dark glinting in his eyes.

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Later that night Vesper crept down to the kitchen looking for a hot chocolate, a tradition instilled in her from a young age when she couldn't sleep and according to her godfather chocolate is the cure to nearly all things.

Once inside she shooed away an over eager house elf and silently hoped Hermione never came across the tiny being that would no doubt burst if she free them.

While her back was turned she heard the door creak open and the shuffle of feet, she glanced over her shoulder to find a blond hair Slytherin boy, he paused as they made eye contact before he huffed and shuffled towards a chair.

Vesper bit her lip thinking before reaching for another cup. The smell of rich chocolate filled the air and she placed a cup in front of the silent boy, he glanced up at her under thick blond lashes suspiciously. The shadow of the dim candle lights shadowing hints of a jaw line and the face of the man he would grow into. 'He will be handsome' she thought absently.

"don't think to insult me by thinking its poisoned, I wouldn't do that to this" she say quietly before blowing on the hot liquid. She doesn't look at him but hears him move to curl his hands around the cup.

"Why?" His voice is deeper then the last time she heard him speak, smoother.

"There are no houses here, no lines to cross,only us." He raised an eyebrow at her and Vesper thought that he would be down right handsome once he grew out the boyhood and into adulthood fully, it would suit him.

He took a cautious sip before a surprise smirk curled at his lips. He licked his lips and looked up at the young woman in front of him.

"no house rule ?" Her smile matched his

"just us, Mr Malfoy"

"Just us, Ms Potter" he agreed taking another sip from the cup.

After that conversation flowed easily as if the pair had known each other for years and every so often the pair would meet in the kitchen for hot chocolate, eventually it progressed to early morning jogs or rather early morning races, pitting speed and stamina against each other, so that when they meet on the quidditch pitch at least one of the opposing team would be evenly matched. It also helped the energy normally reserved for quidditch could be run out of them in the races.

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The names of the champions were called late one night, there were; Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory much to Vesper's heartache, however there was a mistake in the choosing of champions, four people where selected much to everyone's disbelief, the unlucky soul was Harry Potter.

Harry had stumbled into the Gryffindor common room after his name was called from the cup, the few people that were still there glared at him, apart from Vesper, who sat in front of the fire, staring at it, in-between Fred and George, who had unusual worried expressions.

"Harry?" Vesper said not looking away from the flames as he passed. Harry saw that she didn't look well. She had tears in her eyes and looked suddenly older then her years. Harry moved over to her. The twins had left to give the pair some privacy. After a few minuets Vesper finally turns to Harry.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't put your name in the goblet." She muttered loud enough for only him to hear. Harry looked her in the eye.

"I didn't put my name in the goblet." He stated

"Do you know who did?"

"No" he gritted his teeth. Vesper nodded and turned back towards the fire, she patted the seat next to her. Harry sat, looking into the flames as well. Vesper leaned her head on his shoulder. After a while Vesper broke the silence.

"I wasn't prepared for this. I had all these walls built up in case Cedric was chosen and then somebody just blows them down when my little brothers name was pulled out." She took a deep breath; behind her eyes harry could almost see the shattered walls. "What I don't understand is that three names were all ready pulled out, someone must have drawn your name out, or entered your name under a fourth school," She continued. Harry leaned his head on hers.

"You think someone planned this, some one wants me to compete?" he asked.

"Yes, something is going to happen in this tournament, something bad." She sat up and looked at him, the deep emotion in her eyes almost choking him.

"Promise me, you won't do anything rash, if you don't have to. Don't play the hero, and for Merlin sake be careful. There are people in this castle that I don't trust to keep you safe."

"Who says I need some one to keep me safe?!" he said roughly pulling away from her, he wasn't a kid anymore.

"For bloody hells sake, Harry! This tournament is cruel in every way, if anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. I've only just found you Harry, don't make me lose you again. Just be careful." She said before standing up and going to the girls dorms before he could reply. "Teenagers" she muttered angrily to herself, puffing out hot air from her lungs.

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a/n so what do you thing of the developing friendship between Vesper and Draco? What do you think is going on with Professor Moody?


	7. Chapter 7- Bad Days

Enjoy.

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Vesper woke up feeling miserable and wanting to talk with Harry, but found he was still in his dormitory. Knowing that everyone in the Gryffindor Common room would make a scene when Harry enters, embarrassing the poor lad. Vesper never envied Harry's fame.

She headed off for breakfast.

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The sixth years spent a few hours practicing apparition lessons before lunch, nothing exciting happened until a Hufflepuff boy manage to splinched his self in the last 10 minutes. Admittedly Vesper was a little fearful of Apparition. She had done it once a long time ago by accident and had splinched a strip of skin off of her stomach, luckily Remus found her shortly after and patched her up. ( he had had a major panic attack that all parents do when their child suddenly disappears)

A group of Cedric's Ravenclaw fan girls had taken to following Vesper around to make snide comments, the majority of time Vesper ignored them, but today, she was already feeling down and to heard the spiteful comments was really getting to much for the young woman. Matilda Hickle was that leader of this group, a cousin of Millicent Bulstrode (of Harry's year) the girls look nothing alike but Hickle had a ugly personality. She had this knack of finding your weakness and using it at your most breakable point. The only problem was that breakable points are unpredictable, would you breakdown and cry or slash out like a cornered animal? Hickle's was convinced that Vesper was just some shinny trophy that the twins liked to show off. She didn't know or acknowledged that the trio moved as if they were one being, that Vesper was one of the fiercest fighters in quidditch when pushed. All Matilda Hickle saw was a girl that got everything and did nothing, if she was any good she would be in Ravenclaw with all the books she keeps reading.

Vesper was going to her Archimedes class so was alone on the walk when Hickle's decided to go for the kill.

"potter!" She sneered "you know your just a trophy don't you. A cheap token for something any one can take credit for, something nobody wants. " Hickle puffed up proudly as she towered over the red head, looking at the darken under eyes and pasty completion. Missing completely how the other girl's jaw tightened " I bet you got Cedric to put your brothers name in the cup. Soak up the fame while they risks there lives." She smiled smugly at her friends as she watched the red head girl before her.

"you know Hickle," Vesper raised her head and Hickle's meet shockingly sharp blue almost gray eyes. " your face really should match your heart " with calmness and poses vesper flicked her wand hand and left as Hickle's face began to swell. Indecent screams of "I'm ugly! What did she do!" echoed behind her.

Vesper entered the bathroom hoping to have a emotional breakdown in private, but it turned out that this bathroom was already occupied by another crying girl.

Hermione.

Vesper would have left to give the girl some privacy and to deal with her own unstable emotion but she realised somethings was off with the other girl. A pair of huge front teeth had appeared. Vesper spent the next few minutes trying to tempt the other girl out to let her have a look. Vesper hummed and tutted before flicking her wand in a delicate move and reducing the size of teeth. After fixing up the younger girl and sending her on her way, she realised that her class was already nearly finished so there was no point to going. She walked out of the bathroom only to be confronted by Professor Moody.

"Potter, why have I just seen four distressed Ravenclaws, crying about the fact you cursed one of them." He growled at her as she remained silent. He looked at her like he wanted to be inside her head. It made her uncomfortable as something dark flashed in his eyes. Her head hurt, with the beginnings of a migraine.

"I believe that her face finally reflects her attitude." She chosen her words carefully. For a brief moment a smirk appeared on his face. It looked wrong somehow like it wasn't supposed to be on his face.

"excuse me, professor." She left before he could reply.

-Lb-LB-

Cedric entered the hallway to Hufflepuff Common room. He stopped when he saw the shadowy form of his girlfriend, Vesper Potter. She stood leaned up against the wall, with her arms crossed over her chest, she did not look happy. The grin slipped off of Cedric's face, as he saw what she held in her right hand, a badge. Cedric mentally cursed the badge and there maker.

She held it up to him; he saw fire in her beautiful eyes.

"I've told every one not to wear them." He said knowing what she wanted.

"Who?" she said and Cedric instantly felt sorry for whoever made them.

"I don't know some Slytherin' I think." Vesper nodded once and walked away towards the dungeon and Slytherin common room. Cedric immediately started to worry about her. She wouldn't do something stupid, would she? Alone with all of them? He was just about to follow her when he was overcome with the urge to just go to bed, and he did.

The majority of time Vesper Potter was a easy going, kind, friendly person who many believe was in the wrong house, however her temper was not to be crossed, rarely flaring up, however, rumours has it she made a fifth year Slytherin cry in her first year after they had pushed the twins down the stairs. When she put her mind to it she was cunning and extremely creative when extracting revenge. It was known that among the twins that Vesper had worked out how to get into each common room by the time she was halfway through her third year, though she seldom used it to aid the twins with their pranks. Many believed she would have suited life as a Hufflepuff or even Slytherin on occasion but she as many others had a healthy dose of all houses.

Early the next morning, around the start of breakfast time, there was a large explosion in the Slytherin common room, that shook the foundation of the castle.

Everyone was shocked and fear erupted before people started laughing, that was everyone but Vesper, who sat quietly at her table eating her cornflakes as if nothing had happened. She watched everyone flutter around as she hid a smirk. It appeared she was channelling a Slytherin version of herself today. Calm, cool and indifferent.

Snape appeared like a creeping shadow beside her, he was covered in glittery sparkly dust, as he glared at her however the light reflecting sparkles lessen the intensity of it.

"Potter! What did you just do?!" he sneered pure hatred in his words

"Me?" Vesper asked innocently while wiping her mouth with a napkin, she stood up, "I did nothing," and she walked away leaving the normally dark coloured professor looking like he wanted to explode.

"I know it was you!" He hissed getting everyone's attention

"Do you have any evidence of that?" Vesper asked calmly, Snape backtracked over his words- he didn't have any evidence, but it had to be her, glitter wasn't the twins style but even if it was them, she would have a hand in it. "That's what I thought, good day Professor," and she left. Snape twitched, he wracked the nearest people to him around the head. these people just happened to be the Weasley twins, who rose early to watch the excitement.

On Snapes march back to the Slytherin common room and he yelled "get to class!" at every one even if breakfast time had only really begun. Mad eye chuckled quietly, she was good.


	8. Chapter 8- The First Task

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 **2 Days before the First Task,**

At around midnight on the weekend of a Hogsmeade visit, Harry wraps his invisible cloaked around himself and slips down to Hagrid's. Hagrid leads Harry to the Beauxbatons carriage where Madame Maxime is waiting. Harry, confused, trails behind Hagrid and Madame Maxime around the Forbidden Forest's edge, finally arriving at a large corral containing four full-grown Dragons.

The surrounding wizards have to Stun the Dragons to calm them. Charlie Weasley, Ron's older brother, comes over. He was concerned about Madame Maxime seeing the Dragons, but Hagrid states he just thought she would be interested. Harry headed back to the castle, bumping into Professor Karkaroff, who is checking out the tumult. Evidently, assuming Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff will inform their respective Champions, Cedric is the only competitor who knows nothing about the Dragons.

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 **Day of the 1st Task**

"Jeez, Ves, You're gray. Anyone would think it was you doing the tasks." Fred told her. He was right; Vesper Potter was very pale and shaking with nerves and looking like she would hurl at any moment. The first task was about to begin,

"RWAR!" bellowed the Dragon that had been placed in the arena

"That's a, that's a..." stuttered Vesper staring wide eyed and opened mouthed, she felt as if she would faint, the thudding of her heart nearly drowning out any other sounds. It was a good job that Harry and Cedric hadn't told her that this was the task otherwise she would have locked them in the tower and never let them out.

"Dragons, yeah, they're brutal, especially the ridge back." Ron interrupted before being elbowed sharply by Hermione

"Ronald!" she hisses.

"Ah, what?!" he yelled as Hermione pointed to Vesper, who was now scientifically paler then before, as she watched Cedric enter the ring. The dragon blew fire at him, Cedric dogged it. The twins took hold of each of Vespers arms,

"I think I better sit down." Vesper muttered quietly, sitting in the seat looking worried.

After a few minutes and a pep talk to her self, Vesper glanced up at the ring, unable to see through the crowd, she gingerly stood up and noticed she still clutched onto George's hand while his brother had slipped free and was holding up barnoculars.

"What's happening?" she asked Hermione,

"Well, if he doesn't use his wand soon, he'll be burnt worst than he already is." She told her, her eyes fixed on the ring. Vesper watch for a moment before letting go of George's hand and pushing her way to the front of the crowd and yelling,

"Your wand Cedric!" but her words were swallowed up by the raw of the dragon as it blew fire at the unexpected crowd, there all ducked quickly and screamed.

Vesper made her way to the hospital tent after Cedric had collected his egg, she had to wait outside until Madam Pomfrey let Cedric go. She walked in and saw angry burns on his smug face.

"They look a lot worst then there feel," Cedric chuckled at her face, she smiled and gently kissed his forehead where it wasn't burnt. Then he pulled her down to his lips so he could kiss her. He kissed her hard and passionately, pulling her on to the bed, with him. She smiled into the kiss, putting one hand out to steady herself and the other went to the back of his head. They broke apart when one of the other champions was wheeled in. the burns on Cedric's face were already healing. The pair smiled at each other, Vesper gently stroked his face, and then sweetly kissed his lips, she was about to pull away when Cedric's hand stopped her, one hand on the back of her head the other on her hip. They did this until the next champion was wheeled in. Vesper smiled when madam Pomfrey came in to check on Cedric, Vesper went to the window to watch Harry and the dragon. She bit her lip nervously.

Suddenly Harry flew up on his broom; the dragon followed smashing the teachers stand. "Well done dragon." She muttered unconsciously mimicking her twin conspirators, as she felt warm strong arms around her waist she looked up at Cedric then back out of the window. They watched Harry collect the egg. Vesper turned in Cedric's arms and kissed him happily. He pushed her against the wall and kissed her passionately. Suddenly they both fell out of the tent and landed on the grass outside. They laughed as Madam Pomfrey screeched and told Cedric to get back into bed.

Slightly injured by its spiked tail, Harry is waved into the first aid tent, where Hermione and Ron join him. Ron finally sees that there is a very real threat to Harry's life, and is finally convinced that Harry did not choose to enter the Tournament, and the two boys reconcile. Vesper hugs her brother tightly, looking herself at his injury and makes sure it has already started to heal. The judges post Harry's score, tying Harry for first place with Krum. Charlie Weasley runs in to congratulate Harry, then leaves to send Mrs. Weasley an owl about the outcome, and says that Mr. Bagman wants the Champions back in the tent. The champions leave the medical tent.

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 **Two weeks before Christmas,**

Gryffindors gather in a empty class room to learn how to dance. Remus had taught Vesper the basics when she was younger.

Fred bounced forward, he would not be out done by a fourth year, he still remembered what happen on the train ride to Hogwarts . He bowed dramatically and extended his hand towards Vesper.

"My lady, would you give me the honour of this dance?" He fought hard not to grin.

" I would be delighted kind sir." Vesper smirked curtsying in a make believe dress before taking his hand and the pair span around the room to everyone's astonishment. George soon cut in smoothly and the pair glided around the other few couples that had picked up enough nerve to do it.

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 **Christmas Eve, Yule Ball**

Vesper entered the common room still smoothing out her dress, she caught sight of her wing men, her breath caught as she looked at them. They looked like grown men, no longer boys.

" well don't you look handsome." The pair turned to her open mouthed " what is it?"

" you look lovely." Fred smiled going back to fiddling with his bow tie before Vesper straighten it for him. She turned to George who hadn't said a word but she could feel his gaze on her. She smiled up at him and pulled down his collar.

"Perfect" she nodded to herself and saw George do the same.

" let's go then, can't keep the lady's waiting" Fred offed Vesper his elbow which she took and he offered the other to his brother who scoffed but took it any way. The platinum trio left for the main hall.

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Her 50s stile two tone Mary Janes clicked on the stone floor, as Vesper turn the corner towards the great hall. She was nervous, and kept biting her bottom lip and the inside of her cheek. She had sent the twins ahead when she had gone to double check that her lip stick hadn't gotten on her teeth.

She looked up and saw to her embarrassment that everyone had turn to look at her, as they stood outside the main doors to the great hall. She gulped and looked down at herself, making sure that nothing was wrong with her dress, - they weren't. She let her eyes scan the area for the man she was looking for. She saw him standing at the other side if the hallway, a large dopy smile on his face and his eyes wonder up and down her body. She gulped again and carefully made her way down the stairs and towards him.

"Do I really look that bad?" she whispered to him. Cedric simple lifted her chin and crashed his lips to her. His arms wrapped themselves around her back, pulling her closer. Vesper – unable to control herself - let her arms wrap around his neck and her fingers played absentmindedly with the hairs at the bottom of his scalp. When they finally broke apart, Vesper looked pleasantly dazed and Cedric placed his lips to her ear

"You look so amazingly beautiful; I don't think they're words to describe it." He muttered to her before kissing her neck. Vesper hid her face in his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

Her dress was a soft blue colour that fell to the floor showing every curve of her body perfectly. It was an A-line gown with an embellished lace bodice and an ombre dyed chiffon skirt. The neckline and open back are covered in sheer fabric that shown just enough creamy pale skin to get minds wondering and yet still hold her dignity. Her golden red hair was swept back away from her face by clips at the back of her head, the rest was lose curls, - the wonder of magic help to keep them for tonight as her normally straight yet wild wild would reject any form of curling.

"Cedric, you don't have to do this." she said for the fourth time as the pair waited to go into the great hall for the dance.

"Why, what is it?" he asked her, knowing she was trying to talk her self out of doing something.

"I can't dance, I really can't. If I go out there, I'll make you look like an idiot." she muttered, so many eyes watching her. So many people. She could hear blood pumping in her ears. Half the school must be in there.

Breathe,

"Vesper," he took hold her chin and lifted her head so there eyes would meet. "I can dance, and it's all in the leading. Don't worry. I won't let you fall." he said to her before kissing her.

"You know," she muttered into his lips "we could just not go." before kissing him deeply.

"Hmm, I like the sound of that." he kissed her again "I like the sound of it a lot." he smirked

"Mr. Diggory, Miss Potter if you two even think of leaving before you've even gotten in, you will be in so much trouble you won't believe." Professor Mcgonnall hissed rushing around making sure every one was ready to go in. What she wanted to say was that she would kill them both if there through of leaving.

"I love you." Cedric breathe in her ear, making her blush and smile.

"I love you too, Cedric." She smiled as the doors opened and the music started.

"They're doing it again," Vesper whispered in Cedric's ear, he chuckled softly, smirking at them over her head.

"Just ignore them, my love." He mumbled into her pale skin. The music was playing softly as the pair slowly danced around the great hall, within the small crowd of others.

"I can't when they're watching' our every move, creeping' closer every time I'm out of you're arms." She mumbled. She eyed the females at the other side of the hall, as there watch Cedric with pure lust in their eyes.

"Well it's a very good job I don't intend to let you go then." He squeezed her gently.

At one point Fred had prised her away and happily twirls her around the dance floor as Cedric and George look on.

" she is beautiful tonight." Cedric remarks, George looks away from the pair to glance at Cedric with a frown.

" she's always beautiful." He told him like it was common knowledge. The pair stared at each other, weighing each other up when Fred and vesper arrived back. Fred looked at his brother with a cocked eyebrow. George smiled at vesper who was giggling, beaming brightly for the world to see.

" come on Ves, my turn." George took her had and span her in to the dance floor leaving only her breathless laughter behind.

The four were unaware that Vesper's brother Harry and the twins younger brother Ron were seated behind them listening.

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 **Two month to the Second Task**

"Have you worked it out yet?" Vesper ask Cedric about the Golden egg. She had just showered from a run and rubbed her damp hair.

"No." he sounded frustrated as he glares at the smoking egg, having just retrieved it from the fire. Vesper leaned on the table, looking at the strange markings on the egg. She remember seeing something similar in one of her godfather's books.

"Have you tried putting it underwater?" she asked thinking about the book, she was sure it was about the creatures that live in water.

Cedric looked up at her from under his dark eye lasses. Vesper silently cursed him for having beautiful eyelashes. Vesper concentrated very hard, to stay where she was and forces instead of just melting in font of him.

She stood and put her arms around his neck, she kissed his cheek softly, "Go for a bath, and take the stupid egg with you. Just try it, it might work, if not then what have you lost." She shrugged to him. He sighed, and stood, putting his hands on her hips pulling her against him.

"You know, I might want some company down there," he smiled, the crooked smile that he used only on her, and then he kissed her. She glared playfully at him when there broke apart.

"You don't play fair," she moaned as he chuckled

"Never said I did,"

"Hm, unfortunately, I have a letter to write. If I don't, I am pretty sure Remus will show up and demand to know why I haven't written in ages," she smirked "I'll make it up to you, Ced'." She said kissing him lightly on the lips before turning around to pick up the egg. However Cedric hugged her tightly from behind, his hands over hers on the egg.

"You better." He growled placing a big wet kiss on her neck, then dashing away before she could react. Vesper had squeaked and couldn't stop the bubble of giggles escaping from her lips; she wiped her neck and rolled her dark blue eyes at his retreating back. She sighed happily and got some parchment to write her godfather.

After sending the letter Vesper made her way towards the Gryffindor tower, she wanted to see how the twins and Ginny was getting on, she had left them doing homework with the promise of hot chocolate on her return. However Cedric appeared ahead of her, a large smile on his face. He struggled not to run up to her, his excitement glowing out of him. When he reached her, he kissed her for all his worth. When he finally pulled away, Vesper looked dazed but happy as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Cedric gently took hold of her head between his hands.

"You're so wonderful" Kiss "Your so smart" kiss "I truly don't deserve you" kiss "I love you so much" he said between kisses.

"Wha... What happened?" Vesper stuttered, trying to clear her mind.

"I, you," he stuttered "I have some thing to show you." said Cedric with one last heart stopping kiss he took Vespers hand and pulled her down the corridor to the prefect's bathroom.

"What is it?" she asked but only got his charming smile as an answer. He let go of her hand and started to undress, as the bath started running.

"Wh...What are you doing? Whatever they told you? I swear it isn't true." she said a bit shocked at what he was doing, and referring the Weasley twins, they may have once gone skinny dipping (with some of the older boys) in the height of summer but that was years ago before they even started Hogwarts.

Cedric just smiled grabbed the large egg he got from the dragon in the first task, and placed it over his private bits as her turned to her, and saw her head suddenly turn to look in some random direction. He smirked.

"It's the egg. You have to listen to it- in the water." he said simply

"And you stripped off because?" she asked not looking at him, she had seen the male form in all its glory before but that was before puberty punched hard and she released that boys weren't just playmates.

"I didn't want my clothes getting wet, and to see your reaction." He smirked and playful look in his eyes.

He got in to the now full bath and put the egg on the side. "Come on," that smirk on his face was rapidly becoming permeates, Vesper thought, rolling her eyes back to his naked body, a small playful smile hanging dangerously on her lips. She filled her lungs with air and released it slowly. She was a Gryffindor. She was brave. It's not like she hasn't been naked in front of boys before. She, the twins and sometimes the older brothers would swim in the river nearby the Weasley's home but that was when they were younger and much less developed.

She started taking off her shirt but stopped and looked up at him, seeing him watch her. She now smirked and gestured for him to turn around. He did so gurgling, his arms crossed and a scowl placed mischievously on his face. She is glad he did as she felt her face heat up and knew that a blush was rapidly developing on her cheeks.

She slipped into the water not believing for a second why she was doing this. The twins would never let her live this down, especially now the body parts had grown and changed.

"Okay, what does it say." she muttered to him as he turned back around to her and that smirk was still on his face, seeing how the water only just covered her from him. He picks up the egg and duck under water. Vesper looked around in the water for him before his hands grasp her wrist and pulled her under with him. Who said Hufflepuff weren't dramatic.

After hearing what it said the pair broke the surface gasping for air.

"What do you think it means?" he asked looking at the soaking wet form of his girlfriend and he notice what curves hide under her uniform did to him.

"Well, something you have will be stolen, and you have an hour to find it under water." she said pushing her darken golden red hair out of her face, and looking at his wet body. She was sure it just got very hot in the large bathroom, as she saw his god like body in the water so close to her. He moved closer to her pinning her between his body and the wall of the bath.

"Do you think they will take a person?" He whispered huskily at her, his head so close like he was going to kiss her, he put his hands underwater on her naked hips, after rolling the egg away from them, onto the floor.

"They could do. What ever you hold dear, it said." her voice was just as bad as his. Her hands rose up his chest to his face. Her chest was raising and falling faster than normal and her breathing was uneven.

"Are you scared?" he asked in a husky voice, both of them knowing he wasn't talking about the tournament. He watched beads of water run slowly around her neck and down the valley of her breasts.

"I'm a Gryffindor, we don't frightening easily." she lied then kissed him softly.

He kissed back hungrily as her arms locked behind his head. He pulled her close to him, needing to feel her body close to his. His rough hands behind her knees pulling her closer.

-/-/-/-/-LB-/-/-/-/-

"And where have you been?" a voice called as Vesper tried to creep into the Gryffindor dormitories, unsuccessfully.

Vesper squeaked and spanned around to see Fred with his hands on his hips tapping his foot impatient. He looked just like his mother.

"Erm... out?" her clothes were a mess and so was her hair which was damp from being in the bath she had been gone all day.

"Its nearly tomorrow. You have been gone all day." he said quietly not wanting to wake every one up. "Do you even know what time it is?" he asked noticing she looked a little different, but it was only some one that knew her really well who would notice. There was a gleam in her eyes that wasn't there before.

"Erm, no." she said slowly knowing she was in trouble.

"You could have told us, we where worried." He said softly he watched her bite her swollen lips guilty. Why were there swollen? He wondered

"Sorry, Cedric dragged me off to the bathroom." his eyebrows nearly shot off his head.

"What did you do all afternoon?" came out of the strangle whisper sound his voice was now making.

"Nothing you wouldn't ." she said grinned cheekily then disappeared up the stairs to the girls dorms that she had been inching towards, whiled there talked, leaving Fred looking like a gold fish. He was thankful George was asleep on the sofa.


	9. Chapter 9- Second Task

-/-/-/-/-

Harry walked in to great hall and saw on the Gryffindor, his sister being held down by her best friends.

Fred sat on the table between her legs tickling her sides. George held her arms to stop her from getting free. She was wearing the school uniform of a skirt but her shoe's were at the side so her feet were only had socks on.

"Stop," she gasped between laughing. Fred stopped and looked surprisingly evil and he looked up at her.

"Will you tell us what happened yesterday, in detail?"

"No," she sniggered before being pounce on again by Fred as he set about tickling her..,

"Mr. Weasley let her go this instant!" screeched Professor Mcgonnall as the pair let Vesper go. Fred stood in front of the Professor as she told him off.

Meanwhile Vesper had slipped off the table and landed on the floor just behind Fred. Quietly she reach up with her pale hand and grasped the back of Fred's belt gently then she tugged hard making the belt come lose of its hold and Fred's trousers fell down to his knee's. He caught them in a flash, pulled them up and turning to Vesper as he went to pounce on her, however being smaller and quicker, she scurried out of his reach, dodged around George and ran for the door. The Professor (still shouting in outraged) forgotten. Fred ran after her, holding up hit trousers with one hand and yelling to George.

"Freorge catch her!" he couldn't get the smile off his face as he raced after her. She was sneaky and she was fast and she was a Weasley in all but name.

The three ran down a corridor, leaving insults and laughter in their wake, when Vesper stopped suddenly making the twins almost plough into her. They grabbed her by the arms and lifted her up between then, thankful that they were at the very least a head and a half taller then her, the pair glanced around her to see what had stopped her.

Professor Snape growled at them, sneering down his nose at them before he brushed pass them, cape fluttering around him dramatically. The three watch him go before the twins shoved her in to a corner.

"What happened?" they growled together, trying to be menacing, both holding one of her wrist in their own hands.

"Do you really want to know?" She smirked. It was a look more befitting a person of Slytherin.

"Yes!" both boys cried. Vesper leaned in to whisper in both their ears before she kissed both of their cheeks and pushed passed them to find her shoe's with a grin.

The brothers just stood , staring in to space, mouths open.

"Oh, my merlin," They both uttered, their girl was gown up, something the pair had denied for a long while now. Sure they knew she was a beautiful young witch but they had scheme to place her and Ginny in a monastery of some type.

The pair glanced at each other and shrugged before racing after her.

"Details!"

-/-/-/-/

That night Harry Potter sneaks out of the Griffindor common room and into the prefects bathroom with his own egg, using his fathers invisible cloak and the Marauder's map, to get there unseen.

After listening to the riddle of the Egg a few time he decides to leave. As he gathers the Egg and his other belongings and covered by his Cloak, he prepares to head back to Gryffindor tower. The Map shows no one is in the halls except Peeves. However someone unexpected is in Professor Snape's office: Mr. Bartemius Crouch. Harry wonders why Mr. Crouch is at Hogwarts so late, particularly as he is apparently very ill and was unable to attend the Yule Ball. Harry curiosity get the better of him and he decides to investigate, but as he is concentrating on the map, his foot becomes trapped in a trick step, causing him to drop the Egg and the Marauder's Map. The Egg rolls down the staircase, opens and starts wailing, summoning Filch who in turn starts to yells at Peeves for stealing a Champion's Egg.

Snape arrives out of the darkness of the corridors and dismisses Filch's accusations about Peeves and claims someone has broken into his office. It had to be a wizard; Snape seals his office with a Charm to prevent Peeves from entering. Professor Moody appears shortly afterwards and is concerned about someone being in Snape's office. Moody's magical eye spots Harry under his Cloak, but he says nothing and offers to help Snape investigate the break-in. Snape clearly believes it was a student stealing potion ingredients and glares down the corridor over Harry's invisible shoulder. Moody dismisses Snape but before he leaves, Snape spots the Marauder's Map on the floor were Harry dropped it. Snape immediately recognizes it and glared menacingly down the corridor with narrow eyes, growling Harry's name with hate.

Harry panics and, still under his Invisibility Cloak, gesticulates madly to Moody that it is his, and Moody summons the map from Snape's fingers. Snape is furious and continues to probes the air searching for Harry hiding under his cloak. Moody distracts him by claiming nobody is there, though he thinks it curious how quickly Snape's thoughts turned to Harry. Detecting a hidden threat, Snape departs quickly. Filch, who has been silent until now, protests that the Egg is evidence of a student out of bed, reluctantly hands it over to Moody and leaves.

The map fascinates Moody, who is seemingly unable to keep either eye off it. He helps Harry from the trap step and asks if the map showed who was in Snape's office. Harry replies innocently that it was Mr. Crouch. Moody is amazed, and explains that Crouch is obsessed with catching Dark wizards, far more than Moody himself. Moody then asks to borrow the map. Harry, who is deeply relieved he does not have to explain where he got it, agrees.

-/-/-/-/-

"What can we do tonight?" Cedric pretended to think, as he kissed his beloved Girlfriend, longingly, his arms resting on her shoulders, Vesper moaned quietly as he pulled her bottom lip with his teeth gently. It had been a week since Harry had found out about the Egg.

"I can't," Vesper said a scowl on her face and she pouted, not taking her eyes off of his lips, "I got detention, with Snape." Cedric hissed as her cool hands made their way under his shirt, stroking the skin on his stomach. Cedric moved one arm around her waist pulling her closer, so he could attack her lips with his.

"Hmm, what, did you, do?" he asked in-between kisses.

"Not my fault. He tripped over my bag." She muttered as she brought on hand out of his shirt and to the back of his head, so she could kiss him roughly. "You'll be fine." She said when she pulled away, "promise." She smiled and pecked him on the lips one last time, before leaving him standing against the wall, breathless, as she went to detection.

Afterwards, when she finished detention surprisingly early, she found her Cedric in the great hall with his friends; she smiled and watched him laughing with them. He saw her soon after and dragged her into his lap in the middle of the crowd, a place in which she didn't really like being- in the centre of attention. She reluctantly started to laughed along with them, happy to forget about the tournament and the second task .

A few days later Vesper was again sat with Cedric and his friends.

"As much as I would love to stay. I have to go help Harry, the tournaments tomorrow and he has no idea what to do." She said and kissed his cheek while sitting comfortably in his lap.

"You better go, now. Or I might not let you go." He muttered to him, she nodded and kissed him on last time then pulled herself away from him, ignoring the wolf whistles from his friends.

-–/-/-/-/—

"Ok what do we know so far? It's something to do with being underwater, for an hour. Something of yours will be stolen and you have to find it." Said Vesper in the library she perched on the table next to Harry, as Ron and Hermione search through books. She played with her necklace, while turning the pages of the book in her lap with one hand. "So we need something that will let you breath underwater for an hour, but what?" she muttered to herself, looking in a large heavy book in her hands.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend, I'm sure he'll know?" Harry said Grumpily, Vesper straightened and slammed the book down next to him making him jump.

"I'm trying to help you here, Harry, but if you're going to be nothing but an insufferable git, then you can do it your own!" she growled glaring down at him. He has been nothing but miserable and making snide remarks about everything and it was beginning to get on her nerves. Harry looked down ashamed, he knew she was right, and it wasn't fair that he was letting his anger out on her.

"Sorry." He mumbled Vesper nodded once when he looked back up at her.

"And for your information Harry, Cedric hasn't told me what he's going to do. As far as I know he knows as much as you." Harry nodded showing he understood.

"Potter, Weasley, Granger! Professor McGonagall wants to see you in her office now. Not you Mr. Potter, your sister." Grunted Professor Moody, Vesper shivered, she always did when he was near. Something in her gut told her not to trust him, she brushed it off as having spent years avoiding Aurors and had become jumpy whenever one was around.

-/-/-/-/-

"Wait, Professor, how is this fair, I mean putting Harry's two best friends and his sister down there, how's he going to know who to save?" Vesper protested, in McGonagall's office worried about her little brother.

"We have based this selection on the ball at Christmas; hopefully Mr. Potter will work out whose is whose saviour. You're Mr. Diggory; Miss. Granger is Mr. Krum, Miss. Delacour is Miss. Delacour and Mr. Weasley is Mr. Potters." Vesper reluctantly nodded slowly muttering about the stupidity of it,then drank the liquid. Knowing her brother he would try to save everyone.

-/-/-/-/-

Vesper suddenly gasped for air that her lungs felt had been deprived of. She opened her eyes and saw in her disoriented vision that she was in the black lake, she could hear people cheering and shouting, one voices stood out yet it only whispered in her ear, she turned to see Cedric.

"Are you all right Vesper?" he looked concern, so she nodded still a little disoriented, Cedric then pulled her along to the main stand in the middle of the lake. The twins were on the platform by the steps so they helped the pair out, Vesper's limbs felt heavy and numb as George wrapped a fluff white towel around her, she looked up at him and smiled before looking at Cedric and saw he was shivering, he was soaked and his hair flopped down his face he also had a fluff white towel around him. George started rubbing her arms and sides to help with the cold as she shivered and cuddled into his heat. She wrapped her arms around his chest as his hands went to rub her back. George leaned his cheek on the top of her head. Vesper looked to Cedric again and saw him being congratulated by the friends. She looked to Fred who was happily collecting money from previous bets before mayhem erupted as Victor Krum and Hermione surfaced.

George and Vesper stood silently as they waited for Harry to surface. Twenty minutes went by slowly and Vesper was starting to panic, when suddenly, Ron and a small blond girl surfaced from the dark water. Cheers exploded as Harry flopped up on the stand shortly after completely drained.

He gave his sister a weak exhausted smile as she wrapped her own towel around him.

Fleur approaches Harry, saying that he saved her sister when he did not have to, and kisses him twice on each cheek, before she swoops to kiss Ron as well, saying he also helped. Hermione, who was behind his back, looks furious.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore has been talking with the chieftainess of the mermen, and has conferred with the other judges. Now, Ludo announces the standings. Fleur, although using the Bubble-Head Charm, failed to rescue her hostage and only gets 25 points; Cedric Diggory, also using the Bubble-Head Charm, brought his hostage to the surface one minute outside the allotted hour, getting 47 points; Viktor Krum, using a partial Transfiguration, returned second with his hostage for 40 points. Harry Potter returned last, but according to the Merchieftainess' report, arrived at the hostages first, and was delayed by his determination to free all the hostages, not only his own. Most of the judges feel this shows moral fiber and deserves high marks despite finishing last. Harry is awarded 45 points, tying him for first place overall with Cedric.

The next task is scheduled for the 24th of June.


	10. Chapter 10- Hogsmead Vistit

The cold, windy March weather causes delays in the owl post. The Friday before the March Hogsmeade weekend, Harry receives an owl from Sirius, asking him to be at the stile beyond Dervish and Banges at two o'clock Saturday and to bring food. Harry wonders how Sirius dares to be in Hogsmeade, but Ron notes it is no longer swarming with Dementors.

On Saturday, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off for Hogsmeade village, taking food along for Sirius. They buy socks for Dobby, then head past Dervish and Banges, finding a stile and a familiar-looking black dog. The dog leads them to a cave in the surrounding mountainside.

Inside, Buckbeak is tethered. The dog transforms into Sirius, he was wearing the same grey robes from when he escaped Azkaban. His black hair was longer and untidy, matted once again.

"Chicken!" He said hoarsely, after removing the old Daily Prophets from his mouth and throwing them down onto the cave floor. Harry handed over the bundle of chicken legs and bread.

"Thanks," said Sirius, grabbing a drumstick, sitting on the cave floor and tearing off a large chuckle with his teeth. "I've been living off rats mostly. Can't steal too much food from Hogsmead."

He grinned up at Harry, but Harry returned it reluctantly.

"How's your sister?" He asked, gnawing on the chicken bone in a very dog-like way.

"She's erm, at Honeydukes with the twins." Harry remember seeing her pulling the boys towards the sweet shop.

"Twins?"

"My brothers." Ron injected as he picked up the Daily Prophets and unfolded them and reading the head lines.

"What're you doing here, Sirius? " Harry asked

"Fulfilling my duty as a godfather," he grinned again before revealing that it was Harry's letters have made events sound increasingly suspicious, especially when combined with what is reported in the Daily Prophet. Sirius also remarks that Crouch being sick and taking days off is unusual. When Hermione comments he is getting his just desserts for firing his House-elf, Winky, Harry recounts the Quidditch World Cup and his wand being stolen. Sirius suggests someone could have lifted it while Harry was still in his box seat. Ron suspects Lucius Malfoy, but Hermione reminds them Ludo Bagman was also there. Sirius wonders why Bagman wants to help Harry win the Tournament.

Sirius ran a hand over his unshaven face, thinking hard. "All these absences of Barty Crouch's...he goes to the trouble of making sure his house-elf saves him a seat at the Quidditch World Cup, but doesn't brother showing up. He works very hard to get the Triwizard Tournament, and then stops coming to that,...it's not like Crouch. If he's taken a day of work because of illness before, I'll eat Buckbeak."

"D'you know Crouch then?" Wondered Harry.

Sirius face darkened. He looked suddenly as menacing as the night Harry met him, the night Harry still believed he was a murderer.

"Oh I know Crouch alright." He spoke quietly, "he was the one who gave the order to send me to Azkaban- without a trail."

"What?!" Ron and Hermione said together.

"You're kidding." Said Harry.

"No, I'm not." Sirius took another great bite of chicken. "Crouch used to be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, didn't you know?" The trio shook their heads.

Sirius went on to tell them that Crouch was championed using more forceful measures against suspected Death Eaters, achieving some results. He had been tapped as the next Minister for Magic

"- when Voldemort disappeared, it looked like only s matter of time until Crouch got the job. But something rather unfortunate happened..." Sirius smiled grimly. "Crouch's own son was caught with a group of Death Eaters who'd managed to talk their way out of Azkaban. Apparently they were trying to find Voldemort and return him to power."

"Crouch's son was caught?" Gasped Hermione

"Yep," said Sirius simply, throwing his chicken bone to Buckbeak, and flinging himself back on the ground beside the loaf of bread and tearing it in half. "Nasty little shock for old Barty, I'd imagine. Should have spent a bit more time at home...got to know his own son." He began to wolf down large pieces of bread.

"Was he?" Harry asked.

"No idea. I was there myself when he was brought is is mostly stuff I've found out once I got out. The boy was definitely caught in the company of people I'd bet my life were Death Eaters-but the kid might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like the house-elf. Crouch presided over his own son's trial and sentenced him to Azkaban. Crouch and his wife made a deathbed visit,"

"He died?" Harry said

"He wasn't the only one," Sirius bitterly. "Most go mad in there, and plenty stop eating in the end. They lose the will to live. You could always tell when death was coming, because the Dementors could sense it, they got excited. That boy was pretty sick when he arrived. Crouch being an important member of the Ministry, was allowed a death bed visit. That was the last time I saw Barty Crouch, half carrying his wife past my cell. She died herself, apparently, shortly afterwards. Wasted away just like the boy. Crouch never came for his sons body. The Dementors buried him outside the fortress, I watched them do it...So Crouch lost everything just as he made it."

Sirius suspects Crouch wants to revive his career by capturing one last Dark wizard, though it seems unlikely he would make a special trip to Hogwarts just to search Snape's office. He had ample opportunity when he was there recently. Regarding Snape being a Death Eater, Sirius says Snape certainly associated with Slytherins who became Death Eaters: Rosier and Wilkes; Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband; and Avery. Snape, however, was never accused. Harry mentions Snape and Karkaroff knowing each other and how Karkaroff showed Snape something on his arm, though Sirius does not know what that could be.

In return Sirius asks Ron to learn what he can from Percy about Mr. Crouch's illness and also about Bertha Jorkins' disappearance. Sirius disputes Bagman's assertion in a Daily Prophet article that Bertha had a poor memory.

" -he's quoted in an article, blustering on about how bad Bertha's memory is. Well, maybe she's changed since I knew her, but the Bertha I knew wasn't forgetful at all- the revers. She was a bit dim, but she had an excellent memory for gossip. It used to get her in a lot of trouble, she never knew when to keep her mouth shut. I can see her being a bit of a liability at the Ministry...maybe that's why Bagman didn't bother to look for her for so long..." Sirius's heaves a huge sigh before he asked to be updated on any new information and reminds them to address letters to him as "Snuffles." He returns to his dog form, and they all head back to the village, where Sirius departs to scrounge for another newspaper.

Ron wonders if Percy knew about Mr. Crouch, but concludes that he would probably approve Crouch refusing to bend the rules for his own son; Percy loves rules after all.

Meanwhile Vesper and the twins were flitting between Honeydukes sweet shop and Zonko joke shop before they left for the Hogsheads then back to Hogwarts. Where the three were greeted by a frowning Cedric Diggory, who dragged Vesper away while he gripped a copy of Witch Weekly in a tight fist.

-/-/-/-/

The next day, Hermione receives numerous letters, all hate mail in response to Rita Skeeter's Harry-Hermione-Viktor "love triangle" article. One letter had contained raw Bubotuber pus, which sent Hermione to the hospital wing with boils on her hands.

Vesper sat by herself, body ridged as she muttered darkly under her breath. She and Cedric had, had their first proper argument last night when she and the twins returned from Hogsmead. It consisted of him telling her, to not hang around the twins so much, this did not go down well and she had been silently fuming ever since.

 _Just who does he think he is to order her around? Telling her who she can and can't hang around with? That Jerk._

Vesper hadn't told Fred and George. In her mind, this argument was between her and Cedric and she didn't want the boys setting him on fire or something equally mean. Although she did think about doing it herself once or twice. She looked down at the magazine in her hands, Vesper has never been one for reading the gossip magazines but this one had been the cause of arguments. The parchment showed a photo of Vesper and the twins by the lake during the second task, she had been leaning into George's side with his arm around her while Fred showed them the money he had collected already from his bets. Cedric was nowhere to be seen in the image.

Vesper signed angrily, it wasn't her fault he had gone off with his friends. She suppose the only good thing was that not many people had read the article named "The Potters; is one lover not enough or are they simply acting out about their parents death? " simply because of the previous page it was all about Viktor, Hermione and Harry.


	11. Chapter 11- Truely Dangerous

A/n - WARNING very very brief suggestion of rape near the end. Please do skip this chapter if it makes you uncomfortable.

-/-/-/-/-

The start of the summer term normally meant training hard for Quidditch, that was cancelled this year due to the tournament, however Vesper Potter found her self in detention.

Vesper grumbled to herself as Professor Moody tutted at her with a gleam in his eyes as he stood over her. Snape was unable to do detention tonight so she was serving her time in Moody's Office.

She was tiding his desk trying to avoid questions about her brother and his dealings with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when the large chest near the door jerked and groaned angrily. Moody growled angrily and limped over to the chested kicking it and grumbling low at it, as he did Vesper spotted a familiar piece of parchment. Familiarity of having said parchment for years and studying it regularly, it was the Marauders map.

 _How had Moody got it?_

Last she saw it was when she and the twins gave it to Harry last year. She let out a frustrated sign, she and the twins had it years and her brother couldn't even keep it a year, maybe they shouldn't have given it to him so early. She check on Moody to find him searching for a flask sending glares towards the chest, he limped towards the stairs still searching. Vesper quickly pulled out a spare piece of parchment, whispered a coping spell and swapped it for the marauders map, casting a quick glance at it before whispering "mischief managed." And folding it and slipping it into her pocket with a frown. She thought she saw something strange on the map but dare not take time to look to close. The chest shouted and jerked again more violent then before. She heard moody's shuffling feet coming back up the stairs once he reached the door he hissed at the chest then turned to her, magical eye still on the chest.

"That will do now, Potter. Best be off." He growled at her, tongue flicking out to lick his top lip, and for a moment she swore he had see her switch the papers but she quickly nodded, collected her stuff and walked out with the groans of the chest following her, once the door to the class room was closed, she ran down the corridor slipping inside the library and pulling out the map once she was alone.

"I solomey swear I am up to no good." She watched, smiling at the familiar writing that greeted her. She looked at the map carefully watching the markers move. Barty Crouch moved around Moody's office. She paused at the name. Mr. Crouch moved around a lot for some one who was too sick to attend the Tri-wizard games. She wondered if they was another Mr. Crouch and vaguely remember somethings about a son when she was much younger. She folded the map back up and slipped around the corner to look at old newspaper she was sure was at this side of the library.

After a few hours she noticed how still and quiet it was, she looked around and found the library empty. She checked the map realising she had stayed far longer then planed, however she had found that Mr. Crouch had a son who was in-prisoned, but had died. Looking at the map she saw the Mr. Crouch's marker wasn't in Moody's office any more. She search the map until she found him, he was in the library. His marker covering her own. She frowned, blinking stupidly at it before looking around her only to jump back finding that Moody had appeared beside her.

"Miss Potter." He growled looking at the papers she had spread out in front of her then to the Map in her hands. Vesper swallowed loudly as she watched him. She notice his face looked ...off. Something wasn't right with it. "And what does that map of yours have to say?" Even the rumble of his voice sounded different somehow. The map showed many things, like if someone was pretending to someone they weren't .

"Mr. Crouch." Vesper's voice was barely audible yet the sickening grin on Moody's face said he heard her.

" _Junior_ " he confirmed before Moody's face started to melt. Flesh dripped down his coat and his eye socket sloped down his face and he clawed at the magic eye. Vesper stared opened mouthed. It was discussing,terrifying and fascinating all at once.

Once Vesper pulled herself out of staring in horror at him, she ran. Knowing that she only had to escape. Barty Crouch Junior was a known Deatheater and should have been in prison.

 _How was he alive? How had he escaped? How had nobody known_?

Vesper skidded around corners and ran down isles of books, pausing only to catch her breathe and to work out where she was. Part of her hated that the library was so big. She unclenched her hands to look down at the map however before she could work out where she was the map was ripped out of her hands and she was shoved hard agains the book case. Her wand was pulled out of her pocket as she struggled between the man and bookcase. Her necklace pushing hard into her chest. Before her in Moody's clothing was a man in his late thirties, with had pale, slightly freckled skin and a mop of fair hair, but his face was lined with years of hardship. He huffed a laugh with almost manic glee,

"I was so busy with the old man I forgot to watch out for others." Vesper thinks he was taking about Dumbledore. " should have watched. Thought I was clever." He muttered getting louder, before slamming her back against the bookshelves by the end of every sentence. "Clever, clever girl. Looking at things the others don't. Seeing the things they overlook!" He licked his lip like it was a twitch he couldn't stop. Vesper wasn't physically strong enough to push him away as he shook her.

Where was anyone? Surely Ms Prince was still around at least.

"Clever girl, did you work it out yet?" He grinned manically as Vesper hissed air past her teeth, as he held her up against the books.

"You put Harry's name in the cup?" She spat out. Crouch jr. Nodded

"Yes, yes. Voldemort wanted to have the boy. Needs him for his final piece before he kills him." Part of Vesper was shocked that the deatheater mention Voldermorts name while the other part of her fought fiercely at the thought of her baby brother being killed. She squirmed and kicked out her legs and managing to catch him between his own, as he groan and hunched over she pulled away and ran again but was tripped and started to be dragged backwards. She scrambled to grab ahold of something. Anything, but the spell that gripped her ankles pulled her to fast along the floor.

"Somebody, HELP ME?!" She screamed, knowing the chances of her ever seeing her brother and family again were dwindling rapidly. She had been reading that Barty Crouch Jr. Was part of the deatheaters group that tortured the Auror Frank and Alice Longbottom with the Cruciatus Curse. She didn't want to end up like them. She didn't want to die and she didn't want to completely lose her mind.

"Shh, shhh, shh clever girl."he hushed.

Vesper choked as her vocal cords suddenly froze up, she couldn't make a sound. Once she was close enough Crouch turned her over and bound her, completely immobilising her and putting a hand over her useless mouth.

"Shhhshhhshhh." He squeezed her face harshly.

Vesper now laid on the cold stone floor of Hogwarts library, unable to move and unable to speak with a crazy man standing over her with a grimace on his face. He glared down at her with a mad malice.

"That was not very nice." As he straightened up and looked down on her the look in his eyes shifted several times. "It's been a long time since I had a woman completely at my mercy." he says quietly, gently trailing his finger tips over the apple of her cheek while deep in thought.

Vesper's whole body went ice cold.

 _No_.

Her stomach was the only thing that could squirm and it squirmed almost violently.

 _No. No. No. No. No._

She tried to think clearly.

She had to get out.

There had to be a way.

 _Just move, for Merlin's sake just move._

There was a spell over the Hogwarts grounds that stopped students having sex. Many fifth year and above found ways around this rule but right now Vesper prayed to Merlin that Crouch had forgotten. Crouch leaded forward and Vesper tensed, movement was heard not far away.

She was saved _._

Vesper could have cried with relief.

Someone was here.

She was saved.

Suddenly she was being raised up and thrown over Crouch's shoulder before he span away and disappeared into the shadows away from whom ever was in the library.

 _No_.

Vesper had never felt so helpless, so _weak_.

All she was aware of was Crouch's vice like grip across her legs, the swaying of his moment as he walked and the pounding of blood in her ears.

 _Please somebody, anybody help_

The ground changed from stone to grass to woodland.

Vesper hoped he would just kill her.

She had heard the rumours about what happen durning the last raising of the dark lord, (much to Remus's chagrin), and hoped that Crouch would just kill her. She didn't want to die but it was better then the alternative.

He dropped her near some briers and bushes quiet a walk into the forest. It was covered, a hard place to find anything.

Vesper prayed they where still in Hogwarts grounds and the rules still applied. She glared up at the man, she might be terrified but she wasn't going to show him that.

"We can't have you telling Dumbledore on me, clever girl...Shame." He muttered rising his wand to her chest. Vesper notice her own wand was shoved in his robes pockets along with the Maurders Map.

Vesper was suddenly very aware of her surroundings, the deathly silences and the peacefulness of the place. The glow from the castle and the darkness of the forest.

She thought of Harry and the twins and of Remus. She never got to say goodbye.

Vesper felt something warm and wet roll down her cheek.

She heard Crouch growl out a curse and with a flash of green, darkness enveloped her.


	12. Chapter 12- Empty Space

At daybreak the next day Harry, Ron and Hermione sneaked out of their dormitories to the Owlery together to send a note to Sirius about what had happen the night before with Harry, Viktor and Mr Crouch. They looked out into the misty morning all pale and puffy eyed, because they stayed up late into the night talking. They were still discussing it when they heard footsteps and two voices arguing along the steps to the Owlery.

"- that's blackmail, that it, we could get into a lot of trouble for that."

"-we've tried being polite, it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Minister of Magic knowing -"

"I'm telling you it's blackmail, if you put it in writing."

"Yeah, but you won't be complaining when you get a big fat juice pay off, would you?"

The door to the Owlery banged open. Fred and George walked in and froze at the sight of the Golden Trio.

"What are you doing here?" Ron and Fred said together

"Sending a letter" Harry and George replied in unison

"What at this time?" Hermione and Fred spoke. The five paused before Fred grinned.

"Sorry, but our third self has slept in, but fine," he replied "we won't ask if you don't." He was holding a sealed envelope but had covered up the name with his hand. "But don't let us keep you." He made a mock bow then pointed to the door.

Ron didn't move. "Who are you blackmailing?"

The grin vanished from Fred's face and Harry saw George half glances at his twin, before smiling at Ron.

"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," he said easily

"Didn't sound like it."

Fred and George looked at each other. Fred the abruptly came out with,

"I've told you before Ronny, keep your nose out if you like the shape it is now... I don't see how it's your-"

"It's my business if your blackmailing people." Ron said, "George us right, you'll be in big trouble"

"I told you, I was joking." George smoothly slid the envelope from his twins hand, and attached it to the nearest barn owl. "You're starting to sound like our dear brother, carry on like this and you will be a prefect."

"I will not!" Ron fumed , George grinned at his youngest brother as the barn owl left.

"Then stop telling us what to do. See ya." He and Fred left the Owlery while the remaining three stared at each other.

-/-/-/-/-

Later that day the trio go off to find Professor Moody who tells the Trio he was unable to locate Mr. Crouch, even with Harry's map. Hermione disputes Ron's suggestion that he Disapparated because it is impossible on Hogwarts grounds. He could have departed through the Forest. Moody suggests she consider becoming an Auror; her mind works the right way.

Around lunch time and owl with Sirius's reply landed by Harry, who was wondering where his sister was. He had yet to see her today, but he shrugged it off with the new arrival, it wasn't the first time he'd not seen her nearly all day.

Sirius' written response to Harry's letter arrives, sternly lecturing him about straying out-of-bounds with Viktor Krum, who would stand a better chance of winning the Tournament if Harry was unable to compete, and demanding that Harry stay put.

"Who's he to lecture me about being out of bounds?" Harry growled with mild indignation, "after all he did at school."

"He's worried about you!" Hermione snapped, "just like Moody and Hagrid, so listen to them!"

"No one has tried to attack me all year" Harry said "nothing has hap-"

"-Except someone put your name in the Goblet of Fire." Said Hermione "and they must have done it with reason. Maybe they're biding their time, maybe this is the task they are going to get you."

The pair spent the next twenty minutes arguing, a record for Harry and Hermione and it was normally Hermione and Ron that argued. Eventually Hermione threw her hands up in the air with a frustrated huff.

"Where's Vesper? If your not going to listen to us, then maybe she can get it in to that thick skull of yours that you are in danger!"

Harry shrugged grumpily, "I've not seen her, ask the twins."

Hermione frowned at him before standing and marching out of the Great Hall in search of the other girl.

-/-/-/-/-

Hogwarts grounds never looked more inviting then when Harry was forced to stay inside. The next day he spent his free time in the library with Ron and Hermione looking up hexes. Harry tried to concentrate on the stunning spell, which he had never used before only it required practice, meaning that Ron and Hermione would have sacrificed for his learning.

Harry was starting to worry, he had not seen Vesper at breakfast or in the tower last night, he noticed the twins both had identical dark marks under their eyes like they had been up most of the night. He tried to brush the thought from his mind but he couldn't help but feel like something bad had happen to her.

By dinner time that evening, Harry noticed that his sister's regular seat was empty and the twins worn a more worried expressions. They had asked the trio repeatedly if they had seen Vesper, upon receiving a negative reply the twins had grow more anxious. Harry thought that it didn't suit the Weasley twins, who were normally sly smiles and laughter.

When Harry demanded to know why they reveal that no one had seen Vesper all day and that Angela had confirmed that she never came back to the dormitory. Fred and George had already tracked down Cedric but he hadn't seen her since she left to go to detention with Snape two days ago.

"You don't think he's killed her do you?" Exclaimed Ron, he received a firm kick from Fred and wided eyed looks from both George and Harry,

"Don't be ridiculous, Ronald." Hermione scolded, but she too looked concerned.

Once dinner was over with the twins and the trio did one final sweep of the dormitory and the kitchen and anywhere they thought Vesper could be before heading for Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore.


	13. Chapter 13- Finding Your Family

A/N I'm so sorry it took so long, I've had this chapter saved for ages and thought I had already uploaded it.

Enjoy x

* * *

Professor Snape muttered to himself angrily as he stormed through the Forbidden Forest. If it wasn't one Potter giving him a headache it was the other. His inky black robes fluttered behind him and his dark eyes narrowed at the trees in the setting sun.

Dumbledore had ordered the majority of teachers out to look for the older Potter, Snape felt a familiar twinge of guilt in his gut. She was supposed to have been in detention with him but he couldn't deal with looking at the ghostly features of her mother another night after dealing with Karkaroff. It brought up to many hated memories.

He should have been there. Should have watched her more closely, then he wouldn't be searching the forest for her. He sent out another searching spell.

He hoped the headmaster had contacted her guardian. He may have hated him but the werewolf did a surprisingly good job at raising the girl, Snape had to admit. She was one of the top students in her year but didn't flaunt it like Granger did in her year. The young Potter evidently picked up her mothers talent for potions unlike her brother. Snape often wondered what she would have been like had he not been an idiot all those years ago.

The spell activated to his right, Snape hurried over to see a pale hand underneath some bracken. He moved it back and what he saw sent his mind back fourteen years ago, to the crumpled body of the woman that had once been his best friend, laying before a crib that held two toddlers, which in another life could have been his.

"Lily"

Snape snapped himself out of his daze and checked for a pulse with trembling hands.

This was his fault, he shouldn't have sent her off to Moody.

The gentle thunding under his finger tips meant that she was alive, but barely. Another few hours and it would have been a different story. There was no physical damage apart from a few bruises around her jaw and neck that he could see. He stable stabilise her the best he could while sending out red sparks to signal he found her.

I'm sorry lily, I've failed you again.

-/-/-/-/-

The atmosphere was tense in the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey hurried around the young girl with urgency. Both Dumbledore and Snape remained in the room to help, while McGonagall went to wait for Lupin as he was to arrive at any second.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George all waited by the door as soon as they heard she had been found. They heard words like extremely lucky, burns, St Mongo's drifted out from the cracks around the old door.

Ron had tried to send Ginny back to the Gryffindor tower but she had snapped that Vesper was her sister too.

Lupin had arrived looking like he had aged another ten years since Harry had seen him last. He had fresh looking scratches over his face, and looked completely drained. The full moon was last nights, Harry remembers he had looked out of the window and seen it. Lupin shuffled inside as fast as his legs could carry him.

The others had to wait.

Eventually after a few hours the doors opened.

Snape shot out, barely pausing to step around Harry who almost blocked the door, before disappearing down to the dungeons. Dumbledore and Lupin came out next, Lupin's eyes were red and he leaned heavily on his walking stick as Dumbledore held a confronting hand on his shoulder.

"Professors?" Harry asked trying to see around them into the room which held his sister.

"Vesper is fine," Dumbledore said gently, Lupin gave a strangled snort like he didn't believe the headmaster. The old man squeezed Lupin's shoulder gently, blue eyes flashing. "It appears that our miss Potter has been attacked and hit with a unforgivable curse, but by some miracle she has survived. Now I will leave her in Madam Pomfrey capable hands but if she does not improve shortly then we shall have to send her to St. Mungo's"

Harry just needed to see her. All of what Dumbledore had just said was a dull blur. Someone had attacked his sister and he had been getting cocky with Hermione about nothing happening to him this year. Was he having that argument while Vesper was fighting for her life?

This was the worst feeling he had ever had. Had she been attacked because of him? Why had she been out in the forest? Who could have done this?

-/-/-/-/-

George held Vesper's cool hand tightly within his own. She was paler then normal and he was worried that she would never wake up. It had been two days since Snape had found her, in the forbidden forest, and someone was always with her, much to Madam Pomfray's displeasure. The Gryffindor's had even heard rumours that Snape constantly asked after her.

Around her bed, it was brightly coloured in reds and golds, get well cards and trinkets. There were two vases, one on either side of her bed, one was of beautiful red roses from Cedric and the other was of different coloured tulips.

Vespers hand twitched in his, he smiled and brought it up to his face and placed it on his cheek, he closed his eyes wishing her to wake up. He longed to see her blue eyes, he longed for her smile. It brought a frown to his face as he knew it could be a long time before he would see then again.

"Why are you sad?" asks a soft yet raspy voice, that George recognized. 'Yep. It's happen. I am finally going mad.' He thought.

"Because you're taking a long time to wake up," He muttered low to only her

"But I am awake."

"No you're..." he looked up into soft blue eyes and the curious look that made her just plain adorable. Adorable?

"Can I have my hand back?" she asked and he let go of her hand and leaned forward to look at her before bursting into a large smile and wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a hug, half climbing onto the bed.

"Wow, hello." She smiled as they broke apart and George retook her hand. She looked dazed but George was trying very hard not to cry with joy, so he talked and joked as Vesper smiled and listened to him, about what had happen since the attack. He never once let go of her hand.

"Georgie, Im ok. Im not going to die," Vesper joked as George frowned, he couldn't stop looking at her. What if he looked away and she was gone again. Fear crawled up his throat.

"I know, but you were hit with a killing curse, Ves'. I've never been so scared in my life." He said quietly as if admitting a big secrete. He gently stroked her hands in his. Noticing for the first time how small and delicate they were compared to his, although both slightly calluses from using a broom.

George had refused to leave her side since she had been found, claiming someone needed to watch over her, in case she woke up. He had been remarkably stubborn about this point and Harry agreed with him, so the pair took shifts watching her, knowing that she would only tell them off if they didn't look after themselves when she woke up. When not being at her side they and the others were trying to find out who had done this.

There was a discreet cough beside them. The pair turned to see Dumbledore, Lupin and Madam Pomfrey. George sat back quickly, he thought he saw Vesper do the same but brushed it off as a trick of the light. He looked everywhere but at the people in front if him. Vesper let her golden red hair fall over her warm face and she glanced at the people to her side quickly.

Why did she feel so embarrassed at being caught?

Caught doing what exactly? She didn't know.

This was just George.

One of her best friend.

So why was her heart racing like it wanted to burst from her chest?

Professor Dumbledore smiled happily, his eyes twinkled as if he knew a great secrete although when his eyes lingered on Vesper they filled with sadness and regret. Madam Pomfrey looked flustered and Lupin looked amused.

"We just came to check up on you, Miss Potter, and it appears your feeling much better." Dumbledore smiled, Vesper nodded shyly, shooting a look at George and noticed that his ears were more pink then usual.

After George had been 'persuaded' to leave by Dumbledore, both he and Madam Pomfrey disappeared down the corridor. A big black dog pushed its way inside the hospital room.

"You know you're not surpost to be here. " Remus hissed at the dog. The dog gave a soft woof, and licked Remus's hand before jumping onto the bed and transforming into a scruffy haired person.

"Do you know how dangerous this is?" Vesper hissed at him, Sirius snorted.

"What's life without a little bit of danger?" Vesper signed, she couldn't really respond as she was sure she had used that line before, probably at her godfather, who was now fluffing up her pillows. "Besides I've been living in a cave near Hogsmead for the last few months."

" Remmy, I'm fine."Vesper said "cave?" She looking the man up and down with a raised eyebrow "well, I suppose that explains a few things." She grinned cheekily at the dark haired man as he huffed.

"Are you sure?" Remus worried

"Yes,"

"Only you could get hit with a killing curse and live, it must be a Potter thing." Sirius smiled, playing with a lose thread on her covers. "Still don't remember anything?"

Vesper shook her head. Everything was a dark blur before she woke up in the hospital wing. Sometimes a flash of a image or she would remember something being said would sling into her mind but mostly it was quiet.

Lupin nodded, he was sat on the chair beside the bed as Sirius had laid on the bed, looking more like a large shaggy dog in his actions then a human.

"'Aren't you existed, Ves? Someone's been murdered, you've been nearly killed, and there is the triwizard tournament." Sirius rocked on his knees "it's like a murder mystery with deadly games all rolled into one."

"I don't want to know how dangerous it is, my brother and boyfriend are doing it."

" Yes, and I heard that's not all, Mr Diggory is doing," Sirius gave her a lazy smile, while looking at her underneath his eyelashes.

Vesper froze with a smiled back, a little nervous, her eyes sliding to Remus then back to Sirius.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She knew perfectly well what he was talking about.

"Oh, really," He twirled a pretend mustache, "I have heard," he said slowly, enjoying tormenting his friends daughter, "from reliable sources, about you, Mr Diggory and a certain prefect's bathroom." No matter what, Vesper couldn't stop the memories flooding her mind or the blush that crept along her cheeks. She shot a glance at Lupin, who had one eyebrow raised clearly interested in what happened.

"We were, we just, the egg. We were finding out the clue, from the egg. "She nodded because that's what they did- at first.

"Together?" Sirius asked determined to get her to admit it.

"He wanted me to help work out the clue." She said slowly

"I bet that's not all he wanted help with," Sirius grinned jumping up to stand on Vesper's bed, to impatient to wait any longer. "You got passed the enchantment didn't y- !" he started before falling off the bed, with Vesper's help.

"Oh, do be carful , don't want you permeably damaged." She said sweetly,

"How can I..." he started sitting up

"You will." Her voice was deadly there was no denying the threat in her words. Sirius blinked owlishly, backed away and licked his lips nervously.

"So, you manage to work it out then? The egg." He had learned the hard way not to piss off a redheaded female, he hoped this one didn't have her mothers temper.

Remus chuckled, watching the tables turn on his best friend.

There was a scratching at one of the Windows, claws on glass.

Remus causally pulled out his wand and gently nudged at the window.

In swooped – in an overly dramatic fashion, in Remus's opinion- a long-ear owl, which perched itself on the bedpost of Vesper's bed, it's head doing a full 360 degrees pausing only to seemingly shoot glares at both Remus and Sirius.

Sirius stared at the owl, then Remus in open mouth shock. Vesper gasped in delight and stretched out her arms as if reaching out the hug the creature although she did not move towards it. The owl hooted softly then bounced up the bed land in her lap and snuggled under her chin. The girl grinned and softly enclosed the bird and softly petted its head, murmuring its name. Sirius snorted and looked between the bird and Remus with an amused look on his face.

" Romulus? " he jested to the bird before nodding towards his friend "and Remus?"

Remus signed and the bird turned to glare at him. It had been a long drawn out battle between him and that bird. " I let her read the wrong bedtime story." He went on to mutter about an over active imagination.

Vesper huffed.

"Let? Indeed" when it came to reading she had picked up Remus's habit of reading everything she could.

The bird hooted again and settled on pruning his feathers and nibbling at the girl's hair.

It was then that Vesper realised she had never asked George about Cedric and where he was. She instantly felt guilty. She had forgotten her boyfriend, she was a terrible person.


	14. Chapter 14 Maze

A-N sorry its taken so long. I've been busy with other things.

-/-/-/-/-

The Champions and their families are congregating in the chamber off the Great Hall just before the Third Task. Vesper was still not allowed out of the hospital wing, so Harry was about to leave the Great Hall when he is called to join the other champions. Inside, Harry was pleasantly pleased to find that Mrs. Weasley and Bill were waiting.

Mrs. Weasley twitters and asks Harry if he's eating well, while straighten up his shirt. Bill rolls his eyes behind her back. Harry had become used to Vesper straight int his collar that now it just feels weird when someone else does it.

Harry, Mrs. Weasley, and Bill spent the morning touring the Hogwarts grounds. Mrs. Weasley mentioned that the Ministry was becoming suspicious that Mr. Crouch's instructions. They meet up with Ron and Hermione for a while before returning to the Great Hall.

As the sky darkens, Professor Dumbledore sends the Champions to the maze.

Harry wishes Vesper was in the crowd. The past few weeks had made him realise just how much he depended on her to just be there. A constant reassuring present he didn't know he needed.

Cedric stood beside him on the field. He looked like a defeated man, before he caught Harry's eye and gave him a soft smile.

Ludo Bagman announced that Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid shall patrol the maze from outside. If a Champion runs into trouble, they can send up red wand sparks. Harry and Cedric, whose scores are tied, enter the maze together, separating at the first intersection. Krum goes next, then Fleur.

Harry, navigates towards the maze's center, already unnerved by its apparent emptiness, it's deafening silence. A noise behind him is Cedric, still smoking after a run-in with a Blast-Ended Skrewt. Shortly after, Harry successfully defends himself against a Boggart in the form of a Dementor. Harry heard Fleur screaming in the distance. At least he thinks it's Fleur. Harry looks for another route, and he hears Krum using a curse on Cedric, through the hedge. Burning a hole through it, Harry stuns Krum, and sends up red sparks. He and Cedric acknowledged each other before separating and again head for the center.

-/-/-/-/-

Nearing the center, Harry sees the Cup, he starts to run for it, while Cedric appears from a side passage ahead. Harry spots a giant spider, Cedric did not.

"Cedric! On your left!" Harry bellowed, Cedric looked up just in time to hurl himself away from the creature, dropping his wand in the process. The giant spider started to bear down on Cedric, Harry jumped into action.

"Stupefy!" The spider was jilted enough to start charging at Harry instead. Harry yelled spell after spell but it was no good. Harry had one horrifying glimpse of eight shiny black eyes, and razor-sharp pincers, before it was on him. Harry was lifted into the air, he struggled madly, his leg connected with the pincers and then he felt nothing but excruciating pain.

Cedric jumped up and grabbed his wand. "Stupefy! Impedimenta!" But it had little to no effect. Harry raised his own wand again and shouted,

"Expelliarmus!" Surprisingly it worked and the spider dropped Harry on his injured leg. Together Harry and Cedric defeat it. Harry thinks of Vesper and Ron, and that their irrational fear of the eight legged creatures, wasn't so irrational after all.

Harry and Cedric argue over whose to take the Cup, both insisting the other earned it, they've helped each other throughout the Tournament. Harry finally suggests that they grasp it simultaneously. Cedric agrees, and the pair each grabbed a handle. Instantly the pair felt a tug behind their navel and their feet left the ground.

The Cup was a Portkey.

-/-/-/-/-

The Triwizard Cup was a Portkey and it deposited Harry and Cedric in a hard into the ground. Disoriented the pair look around, where they are? A graveyard, but where? Harry urged around, he'd been here before. He knew he had, but when?

A figure approached out of the dark, it was apparently carrying a baby. Harry's scar suddenly started to sear. He drops his wand and falls to the ground, in pain.

A high voice orders, "Kill the spare."

Cedric was thrown back against a large stone by the approaching man. He didn't get up.

Harry, through his pain, dimly realizes he is being tied to a grave marker inscribed with the name of Tom Riddle. He recognizes his assailant—Wormtail.

Wormtail checks Harry's bonds and gags him roughly, then departs. Cedric laid not far way from him and behind him glinting like a star was the tri wizard cup.

There was a rustle beside Harry's feet and he saw a large snake in the grass. The pain in Harry's head flared up even more, the bundle of robes next to the graveside stirred. Harry didn't want to know what it was.

Wormtail busied himself by a huge stone cauldron containing a clear potion, placing it beside the bundle and lighting a fire beneath. The snake disappears into the darkness of the night.

Wormtail picks up the bundle, pulling away the robes. The creature was the size of a small crouching child, only hairless and scaly looking. It's arms and legs feeble and weak looking, and it's face was flat and snake-like, with gleaming red eyes.

Wormtail collected it off of the ground and drops it into the cauldron; Harry hopes it drowns.

Wormtail starts to speak, sounding as terrified as Harry feels. He turns towards Harry causes the grave under Harry's feet to disgorge something that looks like dust; he chants, "Bone of the father, unknowingly given. You will renew your son!" Wormtail sends it into the cauldron.

He pulls out a sliver knife and with only a slight hesitation slices off his right hand and drops it into the cauldron, he continues haltingly, "Flesh — of the servant — w-willingly given — you will revive — your master." In agony and weeping, he moves towards Harry. Stale, anguished breath falls on to Harry's face as Wormtail raises the knife to Harry's arm. Harry struggled, but could do nothing to prevent it, Wormtail cut his arm with a shaking knife and collects blood in a vial. As it drips into the cauldron, he chants, "B-blood of the enemy... forcibly taken... you will... resurrect your foe."

His job done. Wormtail drops to the floor and cradles his stump.

The cauldron simmers then suddenly a surge of white vaporous clouds billowed thickly from it.

'Let it drown...let it be dead' Harry thinks

Then from the mist he felt a wave of terror, a dark outline of a tall, skeletal figure ascends slowly from inside the cauldron.

"Robe me." It's voice was high and cold.

Wormtail still whimpering and crying, clutching his bloodied stump,scrambled to collect a black robe from the ground, he got to his feet and pulled them on one-handed over his masters head.

The figure then turned and stared at Harry, and Harry stared back. This was the face of his nightmare. This is the face of fear. This is the face of death. This was the face of Lord Voldemort.


End file.
